


Takes A Village

by gusherbug



Category: Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware, Half-Life
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Babysitting, Benrey Lives, Domestic, Everyone is joshuas dad now, Existential, Found Family, Multi, Parenthood, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Single Dad Gordon, Tags to be added, The resonance cascade was a little different
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23913628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gusherbug/pseuds/gusherbug
Summary: Gordon's got his hands full with Black Mesa and having a child at home. (Un)luckily for him, the Science Team is more than willing to help, and they're full of surprises.
Relationships: Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Benrey/Gordon Freeman/Tommy Coolatta, Benrey/Tommy Coolatta, Bubby/Coomer
Comments: 247
Kudos: 1182





	1. Always Expect the Worst for A Pleasant Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> original prompt was for gordon finding benrey in his house for no apparent reason!

_[Gordon is standing in the doorway, staring down Benrey trying to eat popcorn in the least productive fashion he can]_

**GORDON** : What

**BENREY** : busy day of being a little clumsy boy huh

**GORDON** : How

**BENREY** : fuckin dumbass

**BENREY** : left your window open

**GORDON** : I di-WHERE IS MY SON?

_[Gordon gets frantic and grabs Benrey]_

**BENREY** : daddys little epic fail’s in bed dude chill

**GORDON** : This is my-You are in my house. My house. The one I live in. This has to be illegal.

**GORDON** : You put Joshua to bed???

**BENREY** : what like its hard

**GORDON** : He’s three years old, of COURSE it’s fucking hard to put him to bed-WHY ARE YOU HERE.

**BENREY** : all he wanted was a story and his blankie dude went ni-ni daddy

**GORDON** : You-

_[Deep breath]_

**GORDON** : You are not his dad. I’M his dad.

**BENREY** : aw bro not any longer you’re not

_[Gordon buries his face in his hands]_

**GORDON** : That is literally my son-

**BENREY** : my shitty son too now

**GORDON** : -coming in here and just fucking-

**BENREY** : you need to calm down

**GORDON** : -MY son in MY house-

**BENREY** : fuckin loser’s never heard of joint custody

**GORDON** : -barely act like an adult yourself-HE’S NOT YOUR SON.

**BENREY** : hey quiet. dont wake him up

**BENREY** : you don’t wanna wake him up and have to put him-uh, back to bed would ya?

**GORDON** : …

_[Gordon gets a flask out of his coat pocket]_

**BENREY** : can i have some

**GORDON** : No.

* * *

_[Gordon goes to bed as normal and gets up in the morning.]_

_[Benrey is still there. He is in Gordon’s kitchen, putting milkless cereal in the microwave. Gordon looks like the second caffeine touches him he is ready to have a stroke. But not at that present moment.]_

**GORDON** : You are still in my house.

**BENREY** : yea

**GORDON** : Why haven’t you gone home?

**BENREY** :

**GORDON** : …Okay, CAN you go home?

**BENREY** :

**GORDON** : You don’t have a home do you.

**BENREY** :

**GORDON** : You just fucking live wherever you end up at any given moment, don’t you.

**BENREY** : congrats gramps you finally won bingo night

**GORDON** : You are literally the human equivilant of cardiac arrest.

_[Benrey presses buttons on the microwave at random and leaves the cereal in there.]_

**BENREY** : joshie’s still asleep

**GORDON** : Jo-No.

**BENREY** : no?

**GORDON** : You don’t get to call him that.

**BENREY** : why not

_[Gordon places a hand on Benrey’s shoulder, making a forward motion with his hand to emphasize every beat.]_

**GORDON** : Because. _I_. Am his dad. And _you_. Are not.

**BENREY** : i can be

**GORDON** : No.

**BENREY** : no?

**GORDON** : No.

**GORDON** : Now stop-oh for fucking-stop trying to blow up my fucking microwave and let me get him set for daycare.

_[The cereal is on fire]_

**BENREY** : you don’t need daycare bro

**GORDON** : Yes I do. I have to go to work and nobody else is here t-

**GORDON** : Don’t even. Don’t even ask. Don’t even ask if you can watch Joshua. Because the answer is a resounding, most definite-

**BENREY** : 3 parts water for every 1 part apple juice, cut the sandwiches into triangles and the elephant’s name is bunny and the bunny’s name is mister man

**GORDON:**

**BENREY** : every step of the thomas the tank engine and rainbow dash wedding must be followed to the letter, no sugary snacks after 3 pm, piggy back rides are now barnacles on a great whale and need to be addressed accordingly

**GORDON:**

**GORDON** : You are.

**GORDON** : My hell incarnate.

**GORDON** : Something beyond the universe is pissed at me and they sent you.

**GORDON** : That has to be it, there’s literally no goddamn explanation for why you do anything that y-

**BENREY** : you’re already late bro

**GORDON** : Fine, then he’s coming with me.

**BENREY** :

**BENREY** : so you trust black mesa more than you trust me

**GORDON** : Y-

_[Gordon pauses, and looks down. He is caught in a moment of intense self evaluation.]_

**BENREY** : baby’s first resonance cascade in there

**GORDON** : …

**GORDON** : …Sandwiches are _four_ triangles.

**BENREY** : kay

**GORDON** : And I’m making my friend in security drop by at noon on his lunch break so help me god-

**BENREY** : kayy

**GORDON** : I’m calling back an hour after that-

**BENREY** : you wanna show up late dick out again or what bro

**GORDON** : If anything, ANYTHING, happens, I’ll kill god my-fucking-self to make sure you’re sent straight to hell.

**BENREY** : yeah okay cool

_[Benrey throws a lab coat at Gordon, and basically pushes Gordon out the door.]_

**BENREY** : that’s cool take me out to dinner first you’re late okay byyyyyyeeeeee

_[He turns on a dime and walks back into the kitchen to put out the fire]_

**BENREY, MOCKINGLY** : euhh i’m gordon freeeeeeeman im all tough and fuckin macho man gonna make every college bro think they’re on my level

_[Benrey locates the fire extinguisher first try]_

**BENREY** : waaaooooohhh i’ll kill god yeah i’d love to watch you try motherfucker

_[Extinguishing the fire, he leaves the mess but checks the fire alarm for dead batteries]_

**BENREY** : wuuuhh bluuuuuhhhh what if benrey hurts my fuckin… kiiiiid wuhhhhh

_[Benrey continues talking to himself making fun of Gordon, walking to the door decorated with cheap stickers.]_

**BENREY** : wuhhh yeah right like i’d…

_[Joshua is still asleep, miraculously. Benrey blinks slowly, considering something.]_

**BENREY** :

**BENREY** : ah fuck i’d die for this kid wouldn’t i


	2. Bring Your Work To Kid Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Science Team invades Gordon's house.

_ [Hours pass, and Gordon keeps his word, calling back to the house’s landline.] _

_ [When the phone rings, Benrey throws a bottle at it. Doing so fails to make it stop ringing. He walks over and picks up.] _

**BENREY:** you called the house phone

**GORDON:** That I did.

**BENREY:** you could’ve just called me directly

**GORDON:** I do not have your number.

**BENREY:** i can fix that

**GORDON:** I do not want your number.

**GORDON:** Is Joshua okay? Everything fine? I only have like ten minutes before they pull me back into the lab.

**BENREY:** we chill everything’s fine

**BENREY:** the security guy, he came to the door checked on us

**GORDON:** Oh, yeah, that’s my friend. His name’s Barney. He mentioned Joshua seemed fine so I’m marginally less anxious about you with him.

**BENREY:** he kinda looked like me

_ [Gordon puts his head in his hands.] _

**GORDON:** Barney doesn’t look like you.

**BENREY:** you making friends with people who look just like me and that’s a thing

**GORDON:** It’s not a-The hell do you mean, ‘a thing’?

**BENREY:** somethin you wanna tell me? huh?

**GORDON:** Shut up-Ok, do you mind giving Joshua the phone? Today has been fucking hell and all I want is-

_ [Benrey put the receiver down to yell to the other room.] _

**BENREY** : HEY LIL MAN DADDY’S ON THE PHONE

**GORDON** : At least call him by his name, Jesus CHRIST, Benrey.

_ [A long pause.] _

**BENREY:** he’s watching a movie i don’t think i can pull him away

**GORDON:** Alright, alright, that’s fair. What movie is he watching?

**BENREY:** all dogs go to heaven 3

**GORDON:** You are obsessed with shoving that movie into my li-Wait, 3?

**GORDON:** There isn’t a third  _ All Dogs Go To Heaven _ , man. There’s a holiday special, but there’s no  _ All Dogs Go To Heaven 3 _ .

**BENREY:**

**BENREY:**

**BENREY:** shit what am i letting this fuckin kid watch then

**GORDON:** Christ alive.

**BENREY:** don’t you have a job to do

**GORDON:** Yes, I am taking a break to be a responsible parent and check on my fucking son.

**GORDON:** My son, who I’ve left with an omnipotent-a fucking, DEMIGOD son of a bitch.

**BENREY:** well i’ve got a kid to watch

**BENREY:** you’ve got a job to do

**BENREY:** why dontcha make like a banana and-uh. 

**BENREY:** and fuck off

**GORDON:** Why don’t-What?

**GORDON:** ...Were you trying to say ‘and split’?

**BENREY:** ...huh. 

**BENREY:** that’s way funnier 

**BENREY:** why didn’t i think of that

**GORDON:** Because you’re not funny.

**BENREY:**

**BENREY:** whuh?

**GORDON:** You’re a fucking menace.

**BENREY:** what’s up man

**GORDON:** Please just go watch my son.

_ [Benrey makes a ‘blah blah blah’ motion that Gordon can’t see, but sure as hell can feel through his tone.] _

**BENREY:** whuuuhh nuhh my sonnn wuhhh

**GORDON:** I-

**BENREY:** chill out bro

**GORDON:** -fucking despise you.

**BENREY:** no way so do i

**GORDON:** As in you hate me, or you hate y-

_ [Benrey hangs up on Gordon.] _

* * *

_ [Work at Black Mesa drags on into the night. Gordon is forced to stay and fix something well past when he usually went home. He hopes for a moment that Benrey put Joshua to bed.] _

_ [Gordon finishes working, and his teammates walk with him a while as they all talk. Gordon is so deep in the conversation that he barely registers that he’d walked home with the Science Team following like lost puppies.] _

**GORDON:** Ah fuck. Guys, listen.

**GORDON:** You can’t keep following me to my house. 

**BUBBY:** What are you gonna do about it?

**GORDON:** Uh. Offer you a soda I guess? You had the courtesy of making me aware instead of-god fucking, instead of CLIMBING THROUGH MY WINDOW LIKE SOME PEOPLE.

**COOMER:** Soda!?

**TOMMY:** We like soda!

**GORDON:** I know.

_ [Gordon leads Bubby, Coomer, and Tommy inside. As soon as he walks in, he sees Benrey balancing on furniture to reach the decorative shelves.] _

_ [The Science Teamwatches Benrey get startled while trying to grab something, and promptly crash and fall to the ground.] _

_ [Joshua is nearby, playing with a toy car. When he realizes his dad is home, he drops everything and runs to hug him.] _

**GORDON:** Benrey, WHY is he still awake?

_ [Benrey is hit in the head with a photograph in the midst of greeting Joshua. He picks it up while recovering from the fall.] _

_ [It’s a picture of Bubby and Gordon together in front of a test chamber. Gordon is trying to look more candid, but he’s failing desperately at it. Bubby is giving him bunny ears. There is a figure behind them, that seems to be becoming fuzzy, and then clear, and then fuzzy, as if looking through a camera trying to keep focus.] _

**BENREY:** ...

**BENREY:** pft

**BENREY:** is this a framed selfie

_ [Gordon walks over, takes the photo from Benrey, and begrudgingly helps him up.] _

**GORDON:** Yeah. Bubby wanted to test his camera-Oh for fucks sake, Bubby. Really?

**BUBBY:** Still got it!

**BENREY:** why’d you frame it that’s weird

**GORDON:** It’s not weird.

_ [Benrey drapes his arm around Gordon, grinning smugly.] _

**BENREY:** you n’ bubby huh

**GORDON:** What? No. No. I have friends. 

**BENREY:** do you

**GORDON:** I need you to realize that I am a person and I have friends. 

_ [Benrey retracts his arm, still craning his neck to look at the picture. Curious, Tommy joins in and analyzes the photograph.] _

**BENREY:** whatever you say i guess

**BENREY:** who’s the guy in the suit

**GORDON:** What guy? It’s me and Bubby-Oh. 

_ [Gordon notices the figure in the background, standing with an unreadable expression. He blinks as the man goes ‘out of focus’, testing to see if it was just his eyes. Squinting, he makes a mental note but decides not to get into another round of extradimensional bullshit.] _

**GORDON:** Yeah, I see him now. Following us again, I guess.

**TOMMY:** That’s my dad! 

_ [Gordon laughs.] _

_ [Tommy does not laugh.] _

**BENREY:** uh

**BENREY:** you got a better pic, bro?

**TOMMY:** Yeah!

_ [Tommy retrieves his phone from his pocket and shows Benrey a picture of the two of them. It’s a classic family portrait, with Sunkist halfway obscured by the camera’s cutoff. Tommy is definitely a little younger in the photo, but his ageless father doesn’t appear any different. There is no visual anomaly surrounding this new picture.] _

**BENREY:** ...

**BENREY:** shit

_ [Gordon slaps his hand over Benrey’s mouth, straining to keep his voice hushed to scold him.] _

**GORDON:** Not in front of Joshua!

_ [Benrey pauses for a moment, pulls his head back, and bites down on Gordon’s hand.] _

_ [Gordon yelps and jumps back, staring in shock.] _

_ [Joshua begins to laugh.] _

**BENREY:** see he loves it

**GORDON:** Joshua, it’s not funny. You shouldn’t bite people.

**BENREY:** you should definitely bite people

**GORDON:** No, you shouldn’t.

**BENREY:** lil dude, tell your dad what you should definitely do

_ [Joshua eases into a giggle fit, kicking his legs off the couch to let off excess energy.] _

**JOSHUA:** Bite people!

**GORDON:** NO!

**GORDON:** Oh my g-Okay, look, it’s past his bedtime. You clearly broke the sugar rule. C’mere, Joshie.

_ [Joshua lifts his arms up, and Gordon picks him up with relative ease.] _

**JOSHUA:** Are we gonna barnacle?

**GORDON:** Not tonight, bud. Say goodnight to everyone.

JOSHUA: G’nite! 

_ [Joshua waves goodbye.] _

_ [Gordon carries the boy to his room, filled with scattered toys and drawings pasted on the wall. As he brings Joshua to the bed, Gordon notices one of the many papers on the wall.] _

**GORDON:** Aw hey, this one’s new! You didn’t show me this one?

**JOSHUA:** I drew Benby!

_ [Gordon pauses, then sighs.] _

**GORDON:** ...You like Benrey? He treating you alright?

**JOSHUA:** Yeah!

_ [Joshua is placed on his bed, and Gordon tucks him in.] _

**GORDON:** Make sure you get to sleep, dude.

_ [Gordon pats his son’s head, kisses his forehead, and plugs in the nightlight.] _

_ [He leaves slowly and carefully, reemerging to hear his friends and Benrey talking about something.] _

_ [There is a rummaging noise down the hall.] _

**BENREY:** does this fuckin’ loser not even own a capture card

**COOMER:** Gordon’s a busy man.

**BENREY:** busy fuckin’ loser more like

**BENREY:** i got a chat to feed here

_ [Gordon turns down the hall. Benrey is indeed raiding a bookshelf, throwing picture books with reckless abandon.] _

**GORDON:** Hey-HEY! DUDE!

**COOMER:** Hello Gordon!

**BENREY:** rugrat in bed?

**GORDON:** Don’t call him that.

_ [Gordon begins to pick up the books. He grumbles about alphabetical order and having to do all of it over again. An armful of books, he gestures to the group.] _

**GORDON:** I’m gonna go on a limb here and say you guys probably aren’t gonna leave for the night.

**BUBBY:** Probably not!

**GORDON:** Yeah-Look, I’m way too tired to fight you on this. Just don’t disturb Joshua.

_ [Gordon notices Tommy is not in the room.] _

**GORDON:** Where’s Tommy?

**COOMER:** He went to get us soda!

**GORDON:** He didn’t even ask?

_ [Tommy comes back with a pack of Pepsi cans. He’s putting all his focus into looking at the soda. He seems a little worried about something.] _

**COOMER:** Soda!

**BUBBY:** I don’t like Pebis.

**GORDON:** Pepsi?

**BUBBY:** Pipis.

**GORDON:** Alright, man, I don’t have anything else.

_ [The soda is passed to everyone. Coomer downs the whole thing in five seconds. Bubby and Tommy are inclined more to drink it like a normal person. Benrey bites into the can and sucks the soda out through the tear.] _

_ [The Science Team all shoot the shit in Gordon’s living room. Tommy seems strangely quiet, looking over at Gordon occasionally.] _

_ [A stupid amount of soda is consumed through the night. Coomer falls asleep on the couch, arms draped over Bubby. Bubby is awake, but doesn’t dare disturb Coomer.] _

_ [Gordon is next to go, sleeping on the ground, leaned against the wall.] _

_ [Tommy quietly steps past everyone to go back into the kitchen. Benrey is already in there, unscrewing the caps on every spice and seasoning bottle he can find.] _

_ [While Benrey giggles to himself, Tommy leans over a counter, eye on a particular cabinet. The cabinet is above the sink, completely childproofed with a lock keeping it closed.] _

**TOMMY:** ...Hey Mr. Benrey?

**BENREY** : huh?

**TOMMY:** What do you think’s in that cabinet up there?

**BENREY:** shit i dunno bro

**TOMMY:** I don’t like it. Cabinets shouldn’t have locks!

**BENREY:** i couldn’t get it open

**TOMMY:** I don’t like secrets. Secrets are-are-kinda scary.

**BENREY:** dude don’t sweat it

**BENREY:** you know what you should be doing

**BENREY:** telling me about your dad

**TOMMY:** Why?

**BENREY:** no reason

_ [Tommy sits on the table, ignoring the shitty IKEA stools Gordon built himself.] _

**TOMMY:** Black Mesa kept secrets, and you-uhyou, you-you know what happened!

_ [Tommy waves his hands with every stutter, straining to find the words.] _

**BENREY:** spiders happened

**TOMMY:** Spiders happened!

**BENREY:** and. those things. fuck what was that stupid fucking name we gave them

**BENREY:** was it like. penis puppies

**TOMMY:**

**BENREY:**

**TOMMY:**

**TOMMY:** No!

**BENREY:** fuck i wanted it to be penis puppies

_ [Benrey snakes his fingers under his helmet to scratch his head. He is careful not to allow too much light to hit his face. A few stray locks fall, which he blows out of his face.] _

**BENREY:** man don’t even worry about it, i’ve been here all day and nothing blew up

**BENREY:** with feetman’s fucking. shitty son, never even heard of halo: reach.

**TOMMY:** You don’t like Joshua?

**BENREY:** lemme tell you something

**BENREY:** if anything ever happened to that kid i’d go off the shits

**BENREY:** could not tell you why, strong paternal instincts and all

**BENREY:** and guess what

**BENREY:** yknow why i’m telling you this

**TOMMY:** No.

**BENREY:** cuz

**BENREY:** nobody will ever fucking believe you

**TOMMY:** I wasn’t gonna tell anyone.

**BENREY:** .... oh.

**BENREY:** ok uh

**BENREY:** …

**BENREY:** man i got nothing i didn’t account for that

_ [Benrey finishes putting back the half open spices into the spice rack.] _

**BENREY:** ...yeah enjoy that i’m out

**TOMMY:** Where are you going?

_ [Benrey opens a kitchen window.] _

**BENREY:** somewhere

**TOMMY:** ...Ok, have fun! Uh-You could use the door-

_ [Before Tommy can finish, Benrey slips while climbing out the window and crashes outside.] _

_ [The crash is followed by glowing flashes of purple and a wavering song.] _

_ [Tommy sits for a moment.] _

_ [He finally gets up and migrates back to the living room. Bubby is still awake, struggling to gently push the sleeping Coomer off him. He seems committed to not waking him up.] _

**TOMMY:** Hey-

**BUBBY:** Sh!

_ [Tommy starts whispering.] _

**TOMMY:** ...Benrey went out the window.

**BUBBY:** The  _ window? _

_ [Tommy shrugs.] _

**TOMMY:** ...I think we should come back tomorrow.

**BUBBY:** You know what?

**TOMMY:** What?

**BUBBY:** I think that’s a damn good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i guess im plugging my comic at the end of thse now
> 
> i have an original comic!
> 
> https://strangeschoolevenstranger.tumblr.com/tagged/update/chrono/


	3. Dr. Freeman Was Not At Ease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Tommy's turn to babysit. Benrey volunteers to help again, and doesn't even wait to be given a "no".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you can pinpoint what the titles referencing ill kiss ya right on the lips

_[The morning after the Science Team invaded Gordon’s house.]_

_[Gordon has long been up, and the Science Team is in various states of disarray around Gordon’s living room. Coomer and Bubby remain on the couch. Tommy is watching a bug on the floor. Benrey is nowhere to be found.]_

**GORDON** : Guys, I gotta get to work.

**GORDON** : ...You should probably come with me. To your jobs. Our jobs.

_[Coomer has awoken, freeing Bubby temporarily. They both rise, still fully dressed in lab coats and ties.]_

**COOMER** : Gordon, for one PlayCoin we can get you to Black Mesa in a flash!

**GORDON** : Do I even still have PlayCoins?

**COOMER** : You know what happens when you hit zero.

**GORDON** : I don’t know, actually, you never told me.

**COOMER** : You don’t want to hit zero.

**GORDON** : I know that, but I literally do not know why.

**BUBBY** : Well, PlayCoins aside, we can still see you there.

**BUBBY** : We’re your friends, we’re here to help you!

**GORDON** : Oh, yeah, kinda like when you cut off my fucking arm?

**BUBBY** : It came back, didn’t it?

**GORDON** : No, arms don’t-

_[Gordon stops, and looks at his arm. It is, in fact, intact. He is struck with a realization that he should’ve had much sooner.]_

**GORDON** : Why is-My. The-

**GORDON** : …

**GORDON** : Ok, I GUESS. I guess that’s happening. My fucking arm turned into a gun and now it’s normal.

**BUBBY** : You hadn’t noticed.

**GORDON** : Shut up.

**BUBBY** : Psh, dumbass.

**GORDON** : Shut UP.

**COOMER** : It’s a post-canon AU, Gordon! Anything is possible!

**GORDON** : Those are words. You’re just saying words.

**COOMER** : An alternative universe (also known as AU, alternative timeline, alternate timeline, alternative reality, or alternate reality) is a setting for a work of fan fiction that departs from the canon of the fictional universe that the fan-

**GORDON** : Oh my god.

**COOMER** : -work is based on. For example, an AU fanfic might imagine what would have taken place if the plot events of the source material had unfolded differently, or it might transp-

**GORDON** : Why is he talking about fanfiction.

**BUBBY** : Don’t look at me, I have no idea.

**COOMER** : -ose the characters from the original work into a different setting to explore their lives and relationships in a different narrative context. Unlike typical fan fiction, which generally remains within the boundaries of the canon set out by the source material-

_[A door in the hallway opens, and Benrey pokes his head out.]_

**BENREY** : hey what’s goin on in this thread

**GORDON** : Were you in my closet?

**BENREY** : yea

**GORDON** : Get out of the closet.

**BENREY** : you’d like that wouldn’t you

**COOMER** : -alternative universe fanfic writers explore the possibilities of pivotal changes made to characters' history, motivations, or environment, often combining material from multiple sources for inspiration.

_[Gordon takes a moment to thank the universe that Coomer finished.]_

**GORDON** : Tommy, can you do me a favor?

**GORDON** : If we’re leaving now, can you just-can you babysit for a bit? You’re about as close to a trustworthy adult I have right now.

**TOMMY** : Okay! 

**GORDON** : Be careful.

**TOMMY** : I’ll be careful!

_[Gordon exhales, looking a bit relieved. He grabs his lab coat, thrown haphazardly onto the couch.]_

**BUBBY** : Don’t you have a babysitter?

**GORDON** : Of course I do.

**GORDON** : You think I leave my son alone all day?

**BUBBY** : Wouldn’t put it past you.

**GORDON** : Ok, fuck you too.

**GORDON** : She drops by at 9 each day.

**BENREY** : nobody but that barney guy came around yesterday

**GORDON** : ...What?

**GORDON** : No, no-She comes by every day. Did you miss her? She comes by every-

**BENREY** : was just us, dude

**GORDON** : You have to be fucking with me, right? She didn’t cancel-You’re not serious. 

**GORDON** : Brown hair, glasses, short-You’re shaking your head. You’re telling me it was just you and Joshua yesterday.

**BENREY** : oh i get it

**BENREY** : you only trusted me ‘cuz you thought she’d be there.

**BENREY** : why’d barney come around then

**GORDON** : Because I was fucking-I thought your-your whole _everything_ would cancel out her competence!

**GORDON** : Your _presence_ is a natural fucking disaster!

**GORDON** : You had, what, two hours before I thought she’d-

**COOMER** : Gordon, you’re going to be late!

_[Gordon clenches his teeth and holds back a loud groan, gripping his face.]_

**GORDON** : Fine, fine? Fine.

_[Gordon marches over to Benrey, grabs him, and slings him over his shoulder.]_

**BENREY** : oh

**BENREY** : where we goin

**BUBBY** : He doesn’t work with us, Gordon.

**BUBBY:** I don’t know if he works anywhere.

**GORDON** : I’m not taking him to Black Mesa.

_[He carries Benrey outside, walking to the curb before standing there a moment.]_

_[Grabbing Benrey by the collar, Gordon drops Benrey onto the pavement. There is a loud clunking noise as Benrey’s helmet hits the ground.]_

**BENREY** : ow

**GORDON** : Stay out of my fucking house.

**BENREY** : i can’t believe how mean you are

**BENREY** : what happened to you man you’re so mean now

**GORDON** : Shut up.

**BENREY:** no you

_[Gordon walks back over to Bubby and Coomer.]_

**GORDON** : Alright, now we can go.

**COOMER** : That was quite rude, Gordon.

**GORDON** : He’s lucky I didn’t throw him in the garbage.

_[Benrey stays laying on the ground long after the scientists leave. An untrained eye would believe him dead.]_

_[Fortunately for Benrey, he can’t die. Unfortunately for the universe, he can’t die.]_

* * *

_[The work day drags on for Gordon. From one lab table, to an office desk, to another lab table; he is being sent here and there for various tasks.]_

_[After being pulled aside by a superior to be admonished for a menial mistake, Gordon elects to take a breather in the Black Mesa Dormitory sector.]_

_[He stands against the corner of a corridor for a while, trying to calm down and hype himself up to get back to work. Gordon is unable to steady his breathing. Trying to rub his temples, he ends up sinking his fingernails into his skin.]_

_[Gordon jumps as someone approaches.]_

**COOMER** : Ah, hello Gordon!

**GORDON** : _JESUS FUCK-_

_[As Gordon scrambles to recover from the scare, Coomer puts up his hands and makes a ‘calm down’ motion.]_

**COOMER** : It’s just us, Gordon! 

**GORDON** : Us?

_[Bubby, being much smaller than Coomer, pops his head into view after being perfectly obscured by his partner.]_

**GORDON** : Don’t-dude, don’t sneak up on me like that.

**GORDON** : Almost had a fucking heart attack, christ!

**COOMER** : We were just on our way to watch a movie!

**GORDON** : ..You’re going to your dorms to-Don’t you have work? Shit, don’t _I_ have work?

**BUBBY** : You can come with, if you want.

**BUBBY** : We’re watching Unbreakable…

_[Bubby glares up at Coomer.]_

**BUBBY** : ...for the _first_ time.

**COOMER** : It’s not my fault! The title challenges me!

**BUBBY** : You keep breaking the disc in half! Every time we get it, you-

**COOMER** : It’s not so unbreakable after all!

**GORDON** : So, you’re sneaking out of work to… go watch a movie. 

**BUBBY** : Wanna come?

**GORDON** : I-

_[Gordon tenses for a moment. He places a hand on his forehead for a second, before lowering it and sighing.]_

**GORDON** : You know what? Yeah. Yeah, I do.

_[Not trusting himself to stay on the path, Gordon places a hand on Bubby’s shoulder as they walk to help guide himself.]_

**BUBBY** : ..Where are we going again?

**GORDON** : You don’t know? I thought we were going to-uh-one of your room-rooms. Room? Rooms? Whatever.

**COOMER** : Well, we can’t use my room. It only has three walls.

**BUBBY** : ...What?

**GORDON** : How does your room only have three walls?

**COOMER** : One of them broke.

**BUBBY** : ... _What???_

**GORDON** : How. What. 

**GORDON** : Okay, let me get this straight. Your room has three walls.

**COOMER** : Yes.

**GORDON** : Can you please walk me through exactly how that happened and how your room is still there.

**COOMER** : It used to be normal, but then the fourth wall broke!

_[Gordon slaps his hand on his face and makes an agonized groan. Coomer grins.]_

_[The three men sneak into Bubby’s room, adorned with only a TV monitor, a couch, and a bed. There are a few dents in the wall scattered, burn marks, and a poster of… Bubby himself.]_

_[They situate on the couch, after a small game of keep-away with the disc between Coomer and Bubby.]_

_[Halfway through the movie, Bubby elbows Gordon.]_

**BUBBY** : I’ve just had an epiphany.

**GORDON** : Uh, yeah?

**BUBBY** : I think this movie fucking sucks.  
 **  
****GORDON** : Heh, yeah, right?

_[Bubby seems contemplative for a moment.]_

**BUBBY** : ...So, yesterday.

**GORDON** : ...Yeah, that happened.

**BUBBY** : What is up with Benrey, anyways?

**GORDON** : Elaborate.

**BUBBY** : He’s…

_[Bubby furrows his brows and makes a vague waving gesture, trying to envoke the concept of ‘a fucking lot’.]_

**GORDON** : Dude, do you remember what happened the _last_ time I tried to push back on Benrey’s shit?

**GORDON** : I couldn’t give less of a shit about what he does, or thinks, or-okay maybe not what he says, if he’s gonna keep swearing around Joshua-you know what I mean.

**BUBBY** : If we’re taking that into consideration, wouldn’t it be… _worse_ that he’s around Joshua?

**GORDON** : Look, man-

**BUBBY** : You know what I think?

**GORDON** : If leaving it be keeps him from blowing up a hundred times his size and-

**BUBBY** : Because, I do think-

**GORDON** : Fucking, demanding kisses-

**BUBBY** : -You’re just a shitty dad.

**GORDON** : Oh fuck off.

**BUBBY** : Fuck off yourself!

_[Gordon sighs and rummages through his coat to grab his flask.]_

**BUBBY** : ...You keep it on you? How many times have you pulled that out, just today?

**GORDON** : You’re about to add another one to the counter, buddy.

**GORDON** : You want some or something?

**BUBBY** : Gordon, I can’t move my arm.

_[Gordon glances over and notices Coomer is asleep, cradling Bubby’s right arm.]_

**GORDON** : Does that happen every time y-

**BUBBY** : Yes.

**GORDON** : I guess I wish that were me sometimes.

_[Gordon slumps, sighing. He looks back to the movie, wondering if it’s getting good or not.]_

**BUBBY** : And _I_ guess I’ve got another question for you.

**GORDON** : Shoot.

**BUBBY** : ...

**BUBBY** : Are you _okay?_

* * *

_[Tommy is humming while idly sorting silverware in a drawer. He has a careful eye through the doorway to the living room; he just needed his hands busy.]_

_[Benrey is back inside of the house, sitting on a play mat with Joshua.]_

**BENREY** : okay now whats this

_[Benrey holds up a small plastic giraffe.]_

**JOSHUA** : ‘sa giraffe.

**BENREY** : fuck yeah lil dude

_[Tommy leans into the doorway.]_

**TOMMY** : Are you being age appropriate?

**BENREY** : who cares

**TOMMY** : I think Mr. Freeman cares.

**BENREY** : i don’t care if he cares

**TOMMY** : You don’t?

**BENREY** : i don’t

_[Tommy tilts his head inquisitively, making a face to bait Benrey.]_

**TOMMY** : You really don’t?

**BENREY** : oh don’t puppy dog eye me

**BENREY** : i don’t care. i do not care about a single fucking-especially not fuckin. shitty fuckin-chicken fuckin’ head-

_[Tommy continues, smiling innocently at Benrey. Benrey is starting to get nervous about it. Joshua is making a bear ride the giraffe toy.]_

**BENREY** : dunno what you want man i don’t care i just don’t

**TOMMY** : Okay, if you say so!

**BENREY** : you smug shithead

**TOMMY** : Don’t swear in-in front of Joshua!

_[Tommy drops the smug face, walking over and kneeling to meet Benrey and Joshua, who are laying on the floor.]_

**TOMMY** : Are you two playing nice?

**JOSHUA** : I made god.

**TOMMY** : God?

_[Joshua holds up his creation, a plastic bear stuck onto a plastic giraffe using Play-Doh.]_

**TOMMY** : Oh! Oh! It’s god!

**BENREY** : i’m not afraid of god

**JOSHUA** : What about this?

_[Joshua wedges a tiger into the Play-Doh.]_

**BENREY** : gonna take more than a tiger to make me fear god

_[Joshua brings more plastic animals over, placing them in a circle around ‘God’.]_

**JOSHUA** : They’re praying.

**TOMMY** : What are they praying for?

**JOSHUA** : Um…. Ummmm…

**JOSHUA** : No rain.

**JOSHUA** : Cuz when it rains, nobody comes to-to the zoo.

**JOSHUA** : And they get sad.

**TOMMY** : Oh no… :(

_[The three of them continue playing for a long time. They cycle through a dollhouse filled with trucks, back to the animals, to an elaborate story about the aftermath of a monster attack on a city-based playmat.]_

_[Benrey eventually tugs Tommy’s arm, and motions him into the kitchen. Tommy gets up, gives Joshua a small ‘Excuse us’, and meets him.]_

**BENREY** : yo 

**TOMMY** : Hi!

**BENREY** : …

_[Benrey speaks in a hushed tone, trying to stay at least some form of quiet.]_

**BENREY** : is feetman like

**BENREY** : a widow or somethin’

**BENREY** : black mesa is kind of a hell of a place to work as a single parent

**TOMMY** : I don’t know if that’s-if-if it’s our business.   
  


_[Benrey motions to the room around them.]_

**BENREY** : he’s got a house and shit

**BENREY** : everyone else lives in black mesa dorms

**TOMMY** : Like me!

**BENREY** : like you

**BENREY** : and coomer and bubby

**BENREY** : guess you can’t really raise a kid in one of those

**TOMMY** : Well-

**BENREY** : but he had to have had the house already right

**BENREY** : like is there a mom out of the picture

**BENREY** : or a dad

**TOMMY** : You’re pretty-uh, you’re getting serious?

**BENREY** : i’m never serious what are you talking about

**TOMMY** : You sound serious, Mr. Benrey

**BENREY** : aw dude don’t-just cuz i’m older-no

**BENREY** : take the ‘mister’ out to lunch just call me benrey

**TOMMY** : Just Benry?

**BENREY** : yea. just benrey

**TOMMY** : Is it Benrey or Benry?

**BENREY** : there are no right answers in life

**TOMMY** : …

**TOMMY** : Okay!

_[Tommy glances at his watch. He then looks shocked, pulling up his arm to double check the time.]_

_[Benrey copies him. Benrey is not wearing a watch.]_

**TOMMY** : I didn’t know it was that late!

**BENREY** : shit we gotta put him to bed huh

**TOMMY** : Yeah!

_[They come back to the living room, and Benrey picks up Joshua.]_

**BENREY** : time to go fuckin’ beddy-bye, dude

_[He carries Joshua to bed. Joshua giggles the whole time Benrey holds him. Benrey makes a little show of dangling him by his arms before setting him down inside of his room.]_

_[Tommy follows behind, watching carefully. He starts smiling while watching Benrey play with Joshua, feeling fluttery.]_

**BENREY** : alright remember lil dude it was just tommy today

**BENREY** : you didn’t see me

_[Benrey closes Joshua’s door.]_

**TOMMY** : ...You told me Mr. Freeman asked you to help. You said he-that he changed his mind.

**BENREY** : nah i lied 

**BENREY** : but he did leave the cat door unlocked

**TOMMY** : He doesn’t have a cat?

**BENREY** : that’s true but he’s got the-

**TOMMY** : You can’t lock a cat door??

**BENREY** : that’s why i said it was unlocked

**BENREY** : you good man?

**TOMMY** : ...Think so!

* * *

_[A few more long hours pass.]_

_[The front door of the home opens to reveal an exhausted Gordon. He removes his glasses as soon as he enters.]_

**GORDON** : Hey I-

**BENREY** : hey

_[Tommy and Benrey are sitting on the couch, watching pure static on the TV. Tommy seems very invested in it.]_

**GORDON** : Okay, yeah, of course. Of course you got back in. Why _wouldn’t_ you.

**TOMMY** : Joshua’s in bed, Mr. Freeman!

**GORDON** : Thank god-Thank you, Tommy. You’re the only man in this room I respect.

_[Benrey rises from the couch. Tommy stands as well, feeling as if he needs to follow Benrey’s lead.]_

**BENREY** : where are the muppets dude

**GORDON** : The-What. What the fuck are y-

**GORDON** : The _Muppets?_

**BENREY** : cuz

**BENREY** : uh

**BENREY** : there’s those two old muppets

**BENREY** : kinda look like them-

**GORDON** : You’re talking about Bubby and Coomer?

**BENREY** : and they like-

**BENREY** : ...maybe coomer’s too pleasant to be one of them

**GORDON** : Stop-

**BENREY** : iunno their names

**GORDON** : -Stop talking.

_[Gordon goes to pat Tommy on the shoulder.]_

**GORDON** : Thanks, bud.

_[Tommy looks at him, confused.]_

**GORDON** : ...What?

**TOMMY** : Mr. Freeman, I’m older than you.

**GORDON** : Oh.

**BENREY** : taller too

**GORDON** : Right, right-uh, force of habit.

**GORDON** : Just, let me know if I do that again, kay? 

**BENREY** : i’m older than him why don’t you pass me that respect

**GORDON** : You’re-

**GORDON** : You’re older than him.

**BENREY** : yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_[Benrey drags out the word for a ridiculous few seconds.]_

**GORDON** : Then how fucking old a-Nevermind I don’t even-Don’t even wanna know.

_[Gordon throws his lab coat to the side.]_

**GORDON** : Look, I’m tired. I got yelled at like, five times today. 

**GORDON** : Got a break, but it’s-

**GORDON** : ...Yeah. I’m just gonna go to bed.

**GORDON** : Tommy, you can crash if you want. Go home if you want, I don’t care.

**GORDON** : Benrey, you-God. Just.

**GORDON** : I don’t know if I care anymore. Just don’t break anything.

**BENREY** : nice

**GORDON** : I need to-look, I need to call the babysitter about yesterday.

**TOMMY** : ..I don’t think she showed up today either!

**GORDON** : Of course not. Always-Always fuckin’ something.

_[Gordon wordlessly waves off Tommy and Benrey, shuffling down the nearby hall to his bedroom.]_

**BENREY** : this dudes like

**BENREY** : stressed, huh

**TOMMY** : ...Yeah!

**TOMMY** : But I have an idea!

**BENREY** : hit me

_[Tommy hesitates, and lifts his hand.]_

**BENREY** : no-

**BENREY** : i mean you’re welcome to hit me if you want

**BENREY** : the _idea_ , bro

**TOMMY** : Oh!

**TOMMY** : Well, Mr. Freeman hasn’t been absent from work in a while.

**BENREY** : i’ve noticed

**TOMMY** : I’ll just get him a day off! And we can do something-something nice!

**BENREY** : okay riddle me this

**BENREY** : how the fuck are you gonna do that

**TOMMY** : My dad-

**BENREY** : heard of him yes

**TOMMY** : He can-He’s got this power! He can nudge things, and nudge-uh-things! 

_[Tommy begins gesturing again, failing to find his words.]_

**BENREY** : what like

**BENREY** : reality itself

**TOMMY** : YEAH!

**TOMMY** : He can do that!

**BENREY** : i mean so can i 

**BENREY** : he’s not special

**TOMMY** : Then you could do it!

**BENREY** : why would i do that

_[Tommy smiles.]_

**BENREY** : that requires me to give a shit if he’s stressed or not

_[Tommy keeps smiling.]_

**BENREY** : stop-dude, stop that

**BENREY** : why do you smile at me every time i-

**TOMMY** : :)

**BENREY** : …

**BENREY** : …

_[A strange vapor, yellow and bright, seeps through Benrey’s pursed lips. He shakes his head like a dog, trying to dispel the smoke. A few strands of hair are freed from his helmet as he does so.]_

**TOMMY** : Yellow means-

**BENREY** : i know what it means

**BENREY** : and i hate it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: ive never watched unbreakable
> 
> HI END TIME this. took a bit  
> lemme plug a few things!  
> hlvrai blog: thebenrey.tumblr.com  
> my WEBCOMIC where i DO STUFF: https://strangeschoolevenstranger.tumblr.com/tagged/update/chrono/


	4. Outside Black Mesa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon gets a day off, and involuntarily gets dragged camping.

_[The sky is clear. Gordon is sitting in a park, surrounded by billowing green grass.]_

_[He has stopped before work to bring Joshua to the pond by a dilapidated playground. Joshua had found a frog and brought it home the previous day without telling his father, so Gordon brought them before work to put the frog back.]_

**JOSHUA:** Go home, sir! Go home! Go see your babies!

_[Joshua opens a tupperware container with holes poked in it, dumping a very scared frog into the water.]_

_[Gordon sees the movement from a few yards away, and rises to go bring Joshua back and get to Black Mesa.]_

**TOMMY:** Mr. Freeman!

_[He turns his head. Sure enough, Tommy is jogging down from the opposite end of the park. Gordon also notices Benrey crouched behind a tree another few yards away. Benrey is busy doing something at the ground, continuously glancing in Gordon’s direction.]_

_[Tommy skids to a halt in front of Gordon.]_

**TOMMY** : It’s-Wow, it’s such a fun coincidence to see you here!

_[Gordon keeps his eyes on Benrey.]_

**GORDON** : Uh, yeah, frog emergency-Look we’re a little-

_[Tommy notices that Gordon isn’t attempting eye contact, and follows his line of sight.]_

_[Caught off guard, Tommy’s fake surprise completely breaks. He squints. Benrey is shovelling grass into his mouth.]_

**TOMMY** : Is Benrey eating grass?

 **GORDON** : Y’know what?

 **GORDON** : No.

 **GORDON** : He’s probably pretending to eat it.

 **GORDON** : He’s doing it to piss me off.

 **TOMMY** : ...You’re sure he’s not just-just, uh, eating grass?

_[Benrey grins and waves to Gordon, but Gordon does not turn to look at him.]_

_[Benrey realizes he does not have Gordon’s attention. He turns his head and scrapes the grass out of his mouth.]_

**GORDON** : Tommy, great to see you, but we gotta-

 **TOMMY** : D-Did you check your email?

 **GORDON** : -get to-Uh. Why? Did I miss a memo?

 **TOMMY** : I think you should check your email! That’s where your emails are!

 **GORDON** : I can check when I get to work, I’ve been late enough times that-

_[Benrey calls over from his spot.]_

**BENREY** : _IS HE CHECKING HIS EMAIL_

_[Tommy turns to call back, making no attempt to be subtle in front of Gordon.]_

**TOMMY** : _NO!_

 **BENREY** : _DID YOU TELL HIM TO CHECK HIS EMAIL_

 **TOMMY** : _I TOLD HIM TO CHECK HIS EMAIL!_

 **BENREY** : _TELL HIM TO CHECK HIS EMAIL AGAIN_

 **TOMMY** : _OKAY!_

_[Tommy turns back to Gordon.]_

**TOMMY** : You should-

 **GORDON** : Jesus Christ on a popsicle stick, okay! I’ll check my email!

_[Gordon does just that as Joshua runs back over to meet them, waving wildly at Tommy.]_

_[Gordon pokes at his phone as Joshua hugs his leg.]_

**GORDON** : ...Wh-

_[He squints at his phone, confused.]_

**TOMMY** : Are you checking your email?

 **GORDON** : Uh.

 **GORDON** : Yeah?

 **GORDON** : It. Uh. They’re giving me the weekend off?

 **TOMMY** : Wow, they are?

_[Tommy’s tone is forced.]_

**GORDON** : They literally never-what the fuck happened? 

**TOMMY** : That’s great, Mr. Freeman!

 **GORDON** : ...Tommy.

 **TOMMY** : Yeah?

 **GORDON** : The fuck did you do?

 **TOMMY** : I didn’t do anything. 

**GORDON:** Then why are you so shifty? You clearly fucking did something.

 **TOMMY:** Well, it-it-it wasn’t me!

 **TOMMY:** You should thank-

_[Benrey chucks a pebble at Tommy, who dodges it seamlessly.]_

**TOMMY:** -Well, nevermind then.

 **GORDON:** Who-Dude, what did you _do?_

_[Benrey finally gets up from his seat beneath the tree, and half-jogs over to Tommy and Gordon.]_

**BENREY** : wasn’t him

 **TOMMY** : :)

 **BENREY** : wasn’t me

 **TOMMY:** :)!

 **BENREY** : how are you doing that

 **TOMMY** : Doing what?

 **BENREY** : the exclamation mark

 **GORDON:** He’s just smiling, Benrey. We’re not fucking texting, there’s no-ugh.

 **TOMMY** : :)!!!

 **BENREY** : man you freak me out

 **BENREY** : you freak me out, tommy

_[Tommy bounces on his feet.]_

**TOMMY** : Now that you’re-uh, off work, let’s all do something fun!

 **GORDON** : ..Alright, like w-

 **TOMMY** : Let’s go camping!

 **GORDON** : That was really quick-You planned this. You planned this, didn’t you.

 **TOMMY:** C’mon! Dr. Bubby and Dr. Coomer are waiting.

 **GORDON** : You could’ve WARNED me-

 **JOSHUA** : Camping!

 **GORDON** : ...You wanna go camping, Joshie?

 **JOSHUA** : Yeah!

 **GORDON** : …

_[Gordon internally curses himself out as he exhales and nods to Tommy and Benrey.]_

_[Maybe this’ll be good for him.]_

* * *

_[When Gordon and Joshua catch up to the older scientists, they’re already packed and at a bus stop.]_

_[They definitely planned this.]_

**COOMER** : Ah, hello Gordon! Hello Joshua!

_[Joshua excitedly hops over to Coomer, and tries to tell him about the frog. Keyword, tries. It’s laced with ‘um’s, ‘uh’s, and ‘and’s. He barely manages to even get to the part about the frog itself before the bus pulls up.]_

_[Coomer winks at Gordon and takes Joshua with him and Bubby, seating him on his lap to finish his frog story. Gordon sits on the adjacent seat, with Benrey behind him. Tommy opts for the seat in front of Gordon so he can have the window to himself.]_

_[As the bus travels, Benrey pops up from behind, peeking over the seat.]_

**BENREY** : hey

 **GORDON** : What.

 **BENREY** : hey

 **GORDON** : What do you want?

 **BENREY** : do you like me

 **GORDON** : No.

 **BENREY** : no i mean

 **BENREY** : like do you like

 **BENREY:** like like me

 **GORDON:** Stop saying ‘like’.

 **GORDON** : And no.

 **BENREY** : ya sure

 **GORDON** : Can you please-

 **BENREY** : awwww you’re not sure

 **BENREY** : awwwwwwwwwww

_[Tommy turns and peeks over the seat as well.]_

**TOMMY:** Awww!

 **GORDON** : Not you too-Christ, yes, I’m sure.

 **BENREY** : breakin’ my heart man

_[Benrey sounds genuinely dejected.]_

**GORDON** : No-Don’t-Don’t say it like that! Stop trying to make me feel bad!

 **BENREY** : makin me sa _aaa_ d bro

_[Gordon huffs, leaning back on his window with his hand on his face.]_

_[To his dismay, it’s warm.]_

—

_[When they arrive, the campsite is already set up with an unlit campfire. Bubby and Coomer have brought one (1) tent and exactly two sleeping bags. Coomer elects for Gordon to share one with Joshua, and Tommy to take the other one.]_

**GORDON** : What about you!

 **BUBBY** : I’ll use Harold, it’s fine!

 **GORDON** : As a BED?

 **BUBBY** : It’s fine.

 **GORDON** : I’m not sure if that’s fine.

 **BUBBY** : It’s fine.

_[They begin to unpack the remaining supplies; snacks, chairs, a couple of Joshua’s toys, and sticks for marshmallows. Gordon finds a fanny pack filled with first aid supplies, and elects to wear it for the affair.]_

_[Benrey fiddles with his phone for a moment before holding it up to record his face.]_

**BENREY** : hey guys it’s me benrey

 **BENREY** : welcome to my setting up a tent speedrun

 **GORDON** : Lord help me.

 **BENREY** : any% no glitches

 **BENREY** : can we get some pogs in the chat for feetman

 **GORDON** : Are you streaming on your phone? 

**GORDON** : Can’t you act like an adult for one night?

 **BENREY** : well what else do i do to pass the time, smartass

 **GORDON** : I don’t know-What do grown ups do-Uh, write a novel or something?

 **BENREY** : what, and put _that_ on the internet?

 **GORDON:** Yeah?

 **BENREY** : you’re so behind the times man

 **BENREY** : like can you imagine

 **BENREY** : nobody goes on the internet to read

 **BENREY** : it’s all about streamin’

 **TOMMY** : What if you do both? Read on stream?

 **BENREY** : _WOAH_

 **BENREY:** let’s not get fucking crazy here

 **BENREY** : stay in reality, tommy

_[Bubby rummages through the cooler and grabs a beer out of it.]_

_[Gordon snatches the beer out of Bubby’s hand.]_

**BUBBY** : Hey!

 **GORDON** : Dude. 

**BENREY** : you gonna drink that man

 **GORDON** : No-Benrey, I have a CHILD with me. And I’m not letting anyone drink in front of him.

 **BENREY** : i think drunk gordon would be pretty funny

 **GORDON** : I do not think drunk Gordon would be funny.

 **BENREY** : just get shitfaced man

 **BENREY:** maybe if you’re feelin spicy or like tommy gives good advice like a dumb person 

**TOMMY** : :(

 **BENREY** : oh god i’m sorry-i didn’t mean that i promise

 **TOMMY** : :)

 **BENREY** : go read amateur creative writing on the internet out loud

 **BENREY** : make some chick in the midwest really happy

 **GORDON** : You’re lucky I’ve-God, that I’m past the point of caring if you make sense or not.

_[Gordon stashes the beer in his coat to keep it out of sight.]_

**BENREY** : oh makin a stash you lil ferret boy? stinky? you stinky?

_[Gordon turns to get mad, but the tent’s already up. Benrey does a peace sign to his phone and shuts the stream off.]_

* * *

_[The day is spent letting Joshua play; not too deep into the woods for fear of losing him. Mostly regulated by Gordon himself._

_[As night falls, preparations for a campfire are made. Joshua bounces in his fold out chair, excited for smores.]_

_[Only Gordon, Tommy, and Joshua get fold out chairs, as not enough were brought. Benrey, Coomer, and Bubby are sat on the ground around the fire._

**BUBBY** : Check this out, kiddo!

_[Bubby places a finger to his forehead, focusing. The kindling spontaneously combusts. Joshua claps, laughing with delight.]_

_[Everyone begins getting their marshmallows, placing on sticks. Benrey does not use a stick, opting to stick his finger through his marshmallow.]_

**GORDON** : Benrey.

 **BENREY** : i will not use a stick

 **GORDON** : I hate you so much

_[Joshua is using a stick like a good boy.]_

**JOSHUA** : I love marshmallows.

 **JOSHUA** : Can I marry marshmallows?

 **BUBBY** : If you could, I would’ve!

_[Coomer rears his arm and punches Bubby in the arm. Coomer is, unfortunately, too strong for his own good, and Bubby falls over from the force.]_

_[Joshua laughs.]_

**BUBBY** : Hey, if that’s funny, you should see our wrestling matches! 

_[Coomer leans over and helps Bubby back upright.]_

**COOMER** : I sent him through a wall once!

 **BUBBY** : It was _amazing._

 **COOMER** : It _was_ amazing!

 **COOMER** : At the wedding, Bubby almost burned down the whole venue!

_[Bubby turns and punches Coomer’s arm. Coomer is unaffected.]_

**BUBBY** : Surprise revenge attack!

 **COOMER** : You call that revenge?

 **GORDON** : Please don’t start wrestling.

 **GORDON** : Someone, please do something that isn’t wrestling.

_[Benrey produces a small acoustic guitar. Gordon has no idea why, how, or where he was keeping it this whole time.]_

**BENREY** : before i start taking requests

 **BENREY** : losing the shorts is not a request

 **GORDON** : You’re not wearing-

 **TOMMY** : I got one! Come here!

_[Tommy leans forward and lowers to whisper in the area Benrey’s ear is below his helmet, and Benrey makes a ‘tch’ noise.]_

**BENREY** : alright i GUESS

_[Benrey begins to strum his guitar, humming the introductory notes.]_

_[Gordon wouldn’t admit it even at gunpoint, but it actually sounded pretty good.]_

_[Until, Benrey actually begins to sing.]_

**BENREY** : _time for the main attraction~_

 **BENREY** : _the story must be told~_

 **GORDON** : Benrey-

 **BENREY** : _time for a chain reaction~_

 **GORDON** : Benrey-

 **BENREY** : _it never gets old~_

 **GORDON** : Tommy, you didn’t seriously ask-

 **TOMMY** : _Some bots get satisfaction~_

 **BENREY** : _brea~king the mold~_

 **GORDON** : Do you want to watch me have a stroke?

 **BUBBY** : Yes!

 **TOMMY** : _Some bots are just distractions~!_

 **BENREY & TOMMY**: _SOME BOTS ARE JUST GOLD~!_

_[Gordon catches himself about to cuss the two out. He glances to his side, and realizes Joshua has fallen asleep, resting against Coomer. Coomer is dead still, as if he wouldn’t let the end of the world disturb Joshua.]_

_[Gordon sighs, getting up and walking over to Joshua as Benrey continues singing with Tommy._

_[He motions to the tent, picking Joshua up and carrying him inside. Gordon settles next to a sleeping bag, deciding to give Joshua privacy. He gently gets his son set inside of it, and lays down directly to the right instead of squishing in with him.]_

_[Joshua remains sound asleep, and Gordon’s mind wanders as he watches him sleep.]_

_[His mind is a wind, lightly touching thought after thought as they flow whimsically. He thinks of Joshua’s other father for a moment, then of the events of the Resonance Cascade, to his absent babysitter; thinking in a chaotic jumble.]_

_[He almost doesn’t notice as Bubby, Tommy, and Benrey slip inside, and get settled. He definitely does not see Benrey take his helmet off and leave it outside the tent.]_

_[Gordon lets his eyelids flutter shut, but does not sleep.]_

* * *

_[Gordon lays by the sleeping bag with his eyes closed for what felt like a moment, but truly was a few hours. It’s quiet, and he isn’t quite used to that. Almost out of habit, he does a head count.]_

_[Bubby, check. Joshie, double check. Benrey, unfortunately check. Tommy, check.]_

_[...]_

_[Where’s Coomer?]_

_[Gordon crawls past the sleeping forms of his friends and family. He opens the tent, and sighs in relief to see Coomer seated by the dying embers of the campfire. He’s staring into the sky, and glances over when he hears the rustling.]_

_[Coomer smiles, and makes a ‘come here’ motion.]_

_[As quietly as possible, he steps over the discarded garbage they’d created and sits next to Coomer.]_

**GORDON** : Hey.

 **COOMER** : Hello Gordon!

_[Gordon stares into the distance for a moment, before finally turning to his friend.]_

**GORDON** : What’s up?

 **COOMER** : It helps.

 **GORDON** : What-Looking at the stars? What does that help?

 **COOMER** : Well, Gordon, a distraction makes it hurt less when you go to sleep!

_[Gordon grimaces.]_

**GORDON** : Yeah-Uh, sorry? About… _That._ If I had any control I could make it, you know, _not_ do that.

 **COOMER** : That’s quite alright.

 **COOMER** : It’s been long enough that I don’t lose my fucking mind when it happens!

_[Coomer laughs.]_

_[Gordon forces himself to laugh as well.]_

_[Coomer looks back at the sky.]_

**COOMER** : What is it like for _you_? When you go to sleep?

 **GORDON** : …Um. Weird?

 **GORDON:** Everything’s just dark.

 **GORDON** : I hear a click, then everything goes black. I can’t feel anything, and there’s like, noises and shit?

 **GORDON** : Sometimes music. People talking. 

**COOMER** : You don’t see the world?

 **GORDON** : No.

 **GORDON** : I’ve never… dreamt, not really. 

**COOMER** : That’s very interesting.

_[Gordon looks behind him.]_

**GORDON** : Man, where’d I leave my coat?

 **COOMER** : Gordon.

 **GORDON** : Yeah?

 **COOMER** : You’re not looking for the alcohol, are you?

_[Gordon tenses, then sighs.]_

**GORDON** : Well-

 **COOMER** : Why do you drink so much, Gordon?

_[Coomer’s face is unreadable, but his voice betrays genuine concern.]_

_[Gordon is silent for a moment. He lowers his head, wincing.]_

**GORDON** : Shouldn’t YOU know? Of all people?

 **GORDON** : You brought it up! You’re just _reminding_ me that-

 **COOMER** : Hm?

 **GORDON** : Because-What else do I do? What the fuck else am I supposed to do when-

_[Gordon’s voice cracks.]_

**GORDON** : -when _this isn’t real?_

 **COOMER** : …

 **GORDON** : You’re not real! Bubby’s not real, I’M not real! That tent isn’t real, these trees aren’t real and-God. God damnit.

_[Gordon covers his face and begins to tremble.]_

**GORDON** : My fucking _son_ isn’t even real.

 **GORDON** : He’s not supposed to be-I-I don’t even know why I named him Joshua. I don’t remember who his damn biological father is, he just-It was always us. 

**GORDON** : I _always_ worked at Black Mesa, I _always_ knew you! Everything in my brain is a universal constant! Pre-established-like, LORE!

 **COOMER** : Gordon-

 **GORDON** : It feels like I’m being-fucking CONTROLLED half the time!

 **GORDON** : What ELSE do I do, huh? How else do I fucking, cope with the universe being someone’s downtime narrative? 

**COOMER** : Do you feel controlled right now?

_[Coomer wraps his arm around Gordon in a half-hug.]_

**GORDON** : Okay, I mean-Uh. No.

 **GORDON** : ...I don’t understand anything, Dr. Coomer.

 **GORDON** : I don’t understand.

 **COOMER** : Well, I do. I’ve seen outside Black Mesa, Gordon!

 **GORDON** : What’s the point, then? What is it?

_[Coomer sighs, and turns to completely hug Gordon. It’s very tight, but wholehearted.]_

**COOMER** : Gordon, you’re getting caught in the wrong perspective.

 **COOMER** : This world is as real as you make it.

 **COOMER** : It’s real to us.

 **COOMER** : You’re real to us.

 **GORDON:** That message you sent-

 **COOMER** : -Wasn’t to _you_. It was for someone else.

 **COOMER** : Whoever received that message is real, too. Just as real as you or me.

_[Gordon chokes, still trembling.]_

**COOMER** : You’re real to Joshua. Is he real to you?

 **GORDON** : ...Yes, of course-he’s my goddamn son-

 **COOMER** : Well, there you have it!

_[Coomer pulls back, leaving a hand on Gordon’s shoulder. He can finally see Gordon’s face again, strained and teary.]_

**COOMER** : I have a secret, Gordon.

 **COOMER** : This world is real to a lot of people.

 **COOMER** : People you don’t know, but people.

 **COOMER** : People we can’t possibly comprehend.

 **COOMER** : And they care so much about you. About Benrey. About Tommy. Bubby. Joshua. Darnold. Hell, _me_!

 **GORDON** : …

 **COOMER** : There’s a world beyond us. A whole universe in your dreams.

 **COOMER** : And that world _loves_ you. 

**COOMER** : That could be a point to existence, in itself. To live for the universe that loves you.

_[Gordon wipes his eyes on his shirt sleeve.]_

**COOMER** : But more important than that.

 **COOMER** : Do you know what’s more important?

 **GORDON** : Will my answer fuckin’ dictate whether or not you keep spitting prose at me?

 **COOMER** : Ha, well, either way.

 **COOMER:** What’s most important…

_[Coomer leans into Gordon, speaking a bit softer as they stare into the sky.]_

**COOMER** : ... _we_ love you.

_[The conversation dies quietly, a final note in a song. Gordon keeps looking up.]_

_[With little light pollution, the stars seem brighter than they ever did at home. Gordon had pretend camped with Joshua a couple times in their backyard, but he hadn’t seen the night sky like this in years, if ever.]_

_[Gordon thinks about what’s outside of Black Mesa, outside of his world.]_

_[Maybe, just maybe…]_

_[There’s something there.]_

* * *

_[Joshua sleeps through the morning as they pack back up, laughing together. Coomer and Gordon remain silent, the previous night lingering.]_

_[Back on the bus they go, and thus, back into the cities of Nevada.]  
_

_[Bubby and Coomer sit together, as they do. Gordon sits alone, Joshua asleep and leaning on his father. Diagonally, Tommy and Benrey sit together.]_

_[Gordon’s mind begins to wander again as everyone starts talking amongst themselves. He keeps an eye on Joshua the whole time, and barely snaps out of his trance until he hears Benrey swear.]_

**BENREY** : bitchin idea tommy

 **TOMMY** : You-uh, think so?

_[Instinctively, Gordon opens his mouth to tell Benrey off for cussing near a child.]_

**TOMMY** : Do I still freak you out?

 **BENREY** : i mean

_[On the seat, Benrey’s hand inches towards Tommy’s. He lifts his fingers, but then retreats, and then goes for it again, then settles his hand beside Tommy’s.]_

**BENREY** : you’re alright i guess

 **BENREY** : do i freak _you_ out

_[Gordon absolutely notices the strange feeling enveloping the two. An air of ‘leave-us-alone’, one could say.]_

_[Carefully, Tommy slides his hand to Benrey’s.]_

**TOMMY** : I’d say-uh, like my favorite Pokémon from Nintendo’s hit P-Pocket Monsters franchise!

 **BENREY** : and that would be?

 **TOMMY** : Ditto!

_[Tommy snakes his fingers between Benrey’s. Intertwined, Tommy’s fingers make soft motions, not quite rubbing, not quite caressing.]_

_[An eruption of yellow mist spills from Benrey’s mouth. He quickly retrieves his occupied hand to help cover and try to stifle the color.]_

_[Tommy is startled for a moment, before relaxing into soft laughter as Benrey desperately tries to hide his own Voice.]_

**TOMMY** : Yellow means-

_[Benrey sounds strained as he speaks, muffled through his hands.]_

**BENREY** : _i KNOW_

_[Tommy is happily slapping the seat next to him, stimming. Benrey is doing the same by bouncing his leg and tapping his fingers aggressively.]_

**TOMMY** : ...Means you like this fellow?

 **GORDON** : If you two start kissing I am going to gag.

_[The two look over to the bus seat adjacent to them, to see Gordon grimacing.]_

**BENREY** : what don’t be fucking homophobic

 **GORDON** : I am not be-

 **TOMMY** : That’s not-not, uh, very nice, Mr. Freeman.

 **GORDON** : That’s literally not why I’m-

 **BENREY** : can’t believe this

 **BENREY** : we’re just two bros 

**BENREY** : what's a kiss between two bros, gordon, huh?

 **BENREY** : is there a problem, HUH?

 **GORDON** : I said that, if you’ll let me fucking speak-

 **BENREY** : nah

 **GORDON** : _-BECAUSE_ , I don’t trust Benrey not to get too into it.

 **BENREY** : wowwwww

 **GORDON** : I just don’t-I don’t fucking trust you. 

**BENREY** : WOWWWWWWWWWW

 **GORDON** : _SHSHSHSH-_ Joshua is _asleep_ , man!

 **BENREY** : just gonna come out here

 **BENREY** : accusing me

 **GORDON** : Benrey, you’re fucking touch starved. You’re amped to eleven. You w-

 **BENREY** : ACCUSING ME

_[Bubby whispers, audible to Gordon. This is definitely on purpose.]_

**BUBBY** : How does he know that?

_[Coomer makes a slightly less audible “I don’t know” noise.]_

**COOMER:** We just have to face it, Gordon’s always been touchy.

 **GORDON:** I feel like that was a pun. You’re using your-fucking view of the universe to make puns I am incapable of understanding.

* * *

_[Gordon’s stop is first. He scoops up Joshua, and waves everyone off. As he exits the bus, he swears he hears exaggerated smooching noises.]_

_[He quickly realizes the sun is setting. The campsite must’ve been farther than he thought. The stop was still a walking distance, so Gordon sets out to get to his house.]_

_[Coomer’s words echo as he walks.]_

_[It’s a long walk, but Gordon manages to get Joshua and himself home safely.]_

_[Gordon briefly thanks god for a quiet, empty household as he carries Joshua to his room.]_

_[Into the room,Gordon lowers Joshua into bed, tucking him in.]_

_[Joshua sleepily snuggles in, grabbing his plushie Mr. Man.]_

_[Gordon smiles, ruffling his son’s hair]_

**GORDON** : I’ll call the daycare that we’re spending Sunday home. G’night, lil man.

_[Gordon rises, and begins to go to turn off the lights and leave the room.]_

**JOSHUA** : Daddy?

_[He stops and turns.]_

**GORDON** : Yeah?

 **JOSHUA** : I love you!

_[Gordon tenses, but smiles.]_

**GORDON** : Daddy loves you too, Joshie.

_[Gordon closes the door behind him, and briskly walks towards the kitchen.]_

_[Behind the fridge, he fishes a key and approaches the locked cabinet. He climbs on the counter to reach the strange cabinet, unlocking it.]_

_[The cabinet opens.]_

_[The cabinet contains a colorful array of booze. Many of the bottles are empty. Tucked under a nearly-completely drained bottle of whiskey is a sealed envelope. A small, black lockbox is stowed in the furthest end of the cabinet.]_

_[Gordon’s hand hovers over the contents for a moment. He reaches for the lockbox, before quickly pulling back, slamming the cabinet shut, and relocking it.]_

_[He sits at the kitchen table, and slowly lowers his head down into his arms.]_

_[Gordon chokes back any indication that he could be crying.]_

_[Then, he remembers what Coomer said.]_

_[The world was as real as Gordon made it.]_

_[His love for Joshua was real. And in turn, it made Joshua’s love for him real.]_

_[What you give to the universe, the universe gives back.]_

_[There is no such thing as loving for naught.]_

_[The universe will find a way to return that love to you.]_

_[Loving hard enough will bring love back to you.]_

_[There’s a world in your dreams.]_

_[And that world loves you.]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. ya read chapter 4. pretty sexy of you. wanna kiss about it  
> plug plug plug pig plug  
> hlvrai blog: thebenrey.tumblr.com  
> my WEBCOMIC where i DO STUFF: https://strangeschoolevenstranger.tumblr.com/tagged/update/chrono/


	5. Father to Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black Mesa was never the safest place to work, and Gordon knew this well. History repeats itself, and it seems someone’s been waiting for him this whole time.

_[Of all the words to describe Darnold, ‘observant’ was not one of them.]_

_[Absorbed into work on a death potion (It also turns you transparent, according to the call the author is in), he does not notice as his coworker runs after a headcrab out of their shared lab.]_

**DARNOLD** : Corby, have you seen the-

_[Darnold turns and realizes his lab partner is not there. Before he can question it, a massive BOOM shakes the room, sending Darnold to his knees as he grabs a desk to stabilize himself.]_

_[As it calms, there is a moment of silence before the intercom clicks on.]_

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _ALL. EMPLOYEES. EVACUATE. SECTOR. 9-C._

_[Darnold has to think for a second.]_

**DARNOLD:** ...Is that this one?

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _YES._

**DARNOLD** : Aw, shit.

_[Darting his eyes around one last time for Corby, he hastily seals his latest experiment into a beaker and exits his personal laboratory.]_

_[Darnold jogs through the noticeably empty halls, still on the watch for them.]_

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _MEDICAL. PERSONNEL. TO. LAB. 202-5B. IMMEDIATELY._

**DARNOLD** : The hell-Maybe I should’ve grabbed some healing potions…

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _THOSE. ARE. NOT. RELIABLE._

**DARNOLD** : We’ve been working for months on those. They’re healthy flavored.

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _NO. OFFENSE._

**DARNOLD** : Why did we even make a sentient announcement program…?

**DARNOLD** : Have you seen Corby? Are they okay?

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _I. CAN’T. SEE. I. HAVE. NO. EYES._

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _THEY. ARE. FINE._

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _NOW. EVACUATE. SECTOR. 9-C._

**DARNOLD** : I should probably-

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _ALL. EMPLOYEES. EVACUATE. SECTOR. 9-C._

_[Darnold begins to slow down to turn around when an alarm goes off, bathing the hallway in red light as a massive door shuts behind him.]_

**DARNOLD** : That’s-You know, that’s really not cool. It’s kind of rude.

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _YOUR. PARTNER. IS. FINE._

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _EVACUATE. SECTOR. 9-C._

_[Left with no choice, Darnold continues down the hall, more doors closing behind him as he passes.]_

_[He stops at a large door requiring a keycard.]_

**DARNOLD** : Hey-Can’t you unlock this? If it’s so damn urgent-

**LOUDSPEAKER** : _RULES. ARE. RULES. DARNOLD._

_[As he fumbles in his coat pocket for his key card, Darnold feels a tap on his shoulder.]_

**DARNOLD** : Oh, Corby!-

_[But as he turns, Darnold freezes. Not in shock, but in time. He is immobile, unable to blink as he processes the well dressed man with a suitcase standing behind him.]_

_[This is not his lab partner.]_

**???** : Terribly sorry, Darnold.

**???** : Today needs to… go a certain way.

_[Darnold is unable to move, and can only move his eyes as the man steps around him, opening the door with a snap of his fingers.]_

**???** : And you… would put a tiny… wrench, in things.

_[Darnold blinks.]_

_[The second his eyes open, he’s in the medical ward, and all is normal again.]_

_[Or at least, he assumes things to be normal.]_

_[That illusion breaks the moment Darnold sees medical personnel rushing various limp bodies to and fro across the ward. Panicked yelling, intercoms afire, security bustling.]_

_[Something has happened.]_

* * *

_[Inside of Lab 202-5B, Gordon has been assigned to help a group with their algorithms.]_

_[He’s invested in the formulas, writing away.]_

_[Almost instantly, nothing.]_

_[Gordon blinks. He sees lights, then dark, then he sees his lab.]_

_[Inside of Lab 202-5B, Gordon has been assigned to help a group with their algorithms.]_

_[But he isn’t really there, is he?]_

_[Gordon is watching everything in third person. He is not in his body. He is incorporeal, watching as if he were merely seeing a movie starring himself.]_

_[He sees himself writing on a whiteboard, deep in thought. Gordon remembers this, he remembers what he was thinking.]_

_[He reaches out to the other Gordon, but his hand collides with something invisible. A barrier of some sort between the two Gordons.]_

_[Inside of Lab 202-5B, Gordon has been assigned to help a group with their algorithms.]_

_[Gordon watches as a fellow scientist freezes and takes two steps back, cussing softly, then at a normal speaking voice, then almost shouting_ **_“OH SHIT-!”_ ** _.]_

_[There is an ever growing hissing sound as he watches himself, the Gordon before him turns his head from the whiteboard.]_

_[And then, there is a deafening explosion; a flash of white completely envelops the laboratory. Gordon can barely see himself flung towards a wall, only to freeze in mid air. The white light fades, revealing the laboratory almost entirely destroyed.]_

_[But Gordon remains still in the air as the colors fade from the room. Time is frozen, and had it been a microsecond too late, Gordon would have collided with the wall in a presumably fatal manner.]_

**GORDON** : …

_[He hears someone clear his throat behind him.]_

**GORDON** : Hey, uh. So.

_[Gordon whips around to see none other than the suited government man who tormented him so.]_

**GORDON** : So, here’s the thing.

**GORDON** : The thing is: WHAT THE FUCK.

_[He blinks, and the laboratory disappears. All that is left is a black void, Gordon, and the man.]_

**GORDON** : Hey. Hey. You.

**GORDON** : Whatever the fuck-WHOever the fuck-

**GORDON:** Am I dead or what?

**GORDON** : Fuckin-What did you call yourself? G-Man?

_[G-Man turns, letting out a low chuckle as he avoids Gordon’s gaze.]_

**GORDON** : Hey, dickhead, answer my question!

**GORDON** : Am. I. Dead?

**G-MAN** : Not quite.

**G-MAN** : Not yet.

**G-MAN** : It was important that I… came when I did.

**G-MAN** : Had I not… intervened, there would have been an event quite… unfortunate.

**G-MAN** : And I am not referring to… that accident.

**GORDON** : I am SO sick of the vague-Just fucking tell me what and why you’re doing this!

**G-MAN** : It would be easier if I… showed. you. 

**G-MAN** : What could have been.

**GORDON** : What the fuck are-

_[And then, nothing.]_

_[A moment of nothing. Not even darkness, a moment of absolutely nothing. Gordon is barely aware anything is different at all.]_

_[The moment passes, and Gordon snaps back into the room with G-Man.]_

**GORDON** : W-Nothing happened.

**GORDON** : The hell was that?

**G-MAN** : That was… from your pers-pective, a potential outcome.

**GORDON** : Well what-Nothing HAPPENED! That was nothing!

_[G-Man tsks, shaking his head.]_

**G-MAN** : Think, Freeman.

**G-MAN** : What would cause… nothing?

**GORDON** : I don’t know-I’ve passed out before, it was kinda like that-

**G-MAN** : And what would make that unfortunate?

**GORDON** : Jesus christ-Uh, maybe if-

**GORDON** : …

**GORDON** : … That was-

**GORDON** : I was dead, wasn’t I? That was me actually-actually, literally dead. So I AM dead.

**G-MAN** : You aren’t right now… but, had I hesitated…

_[Gordon tries to punch G-Man in the face.]_

_[His fist freezes a few inches from G-Man’s face, who proceeds to take it and lower it slowly.]_

**G-MAN** : Ah

**G-MAN** : Okay,

**GORDON** : Get FUCKED.

**G-MAN** : Aggressive today, Mr Freeman?

_[Gordon struggles to reclaim control of his fist.]_

**GORDON** : Oh, yes, maybe that’s because-YOU JUST SHOWED ME MY OWN DEATH.

**G-MAN** : I simply want… to talk.

**G-MAN** : Heartfelt, father to father.

**GORDON** : No.

**G-MAN** : No?

**GORDON** : No.

**G-MAN** : I just saved your, life… You could at least be a tad… grateful.

**GORDON** : I didn’t ask.

**G-MAN** : Again, had I hesitated-

**GORDON** : Literally didn’t ask you to.

**GORDON** : Was-You can’t just cause an accident then-then say you saved me!

**G-MAN** : ...There it is. See…

**G-MAN** : I had no hand in this.

**G-MAN** : Do you know why I… intervened?

**GORDON** : I don’t really-

**G-MAN** : If you, died… We’d all go back… to the start.

**G-MAN** : I don’t know where, this world, in time, considers… the start.

**G-MAN** : Do you know?

**GORDON** : I-Ok, no, but there’s no fucking reason I would, dude.

**G-MAN** : Exactly.

**G-MAN** : If I may be… self-ish for a moment.

**G-MAN** : That scares me.

**GORDON** : Cool, that’s great.

**GORDON** : And why am I supposed to, yknow, fucking care what scares you?

_[G-Man exhales, shaking his head softly.]_

**G-MAN** : It could be very… long ago.

**G-MAN** : There’s no, hm, guarantee everything goes, exactly as it does now…

**GORDON** : You’re doing it again. You’re just spouting vague fucking-verbose bullshit-

_[Suddenly, they hear a woman’s voice from deeper in the strange void. G-Man turns his head in one direction, but Gordon hears it from all sides, and isn’t sure where it’s coming from.]_

**???** : Sorry, he fuckin’ sucks at explaining things.

**???** : Bring me over there, I’ll translate.

**G-MAN** : If you insist.

_[G-Man gestures, then snaps his fingers. As if a door is opening, light pours in from a section in the darkness.]_

_[A suited woman steps through. She has long brown hair, unkempt, glasses, and is very short. From behind her glasses, her eyes glow white and blue at regular intervals.]_

_[It’s her.]_

_[It’s Joshua’s babysitter.]_

**GORDON** : You-You’ve been _HERE?!?_

**SITTER** : Yeah.

**SITTER** : I’d let G explain but he kind of sucks. All the time. He sucks so much.

**SITTER** : I was coming over, and there was a real fucked up car accident.

**SITTER** : So G grabbed me and now I’m here. Also I might not be human anymore? I’unno.

_[Gordon, at a loss for words, stares at his hands, then to the babysitter, then G-Man.]_

_[He snaps out of his trance, and marches over, forcing the babysitter back a few steps as Gordon uses himself as a shield between her and G-Man.]_

**GORDON** : Put us back.

**G-MAN** : ...Not yet.

**SITTER** : Dude, it’s fine. I’m fine here.

**GORDON** : No-NO! I’m not letting this asshole just ABDUCT you and-

**GORDON** : -You had-you HAVE a family! They’re probably so worried-

**G-MAN** : Mr Freeman… One moment?

**G-MAN** : Could you tell me… her name?

**GORDON** : You don’t. You don’t even know-

_[Gordon opens his mouth to yell, and his train of thought vanishes. He has to take a moment to remember what he was doing, and tries to say her name again.]_

_[It doesn’t work. The second he has the thought, it disappears.]_

**G-MAN** : And that is why, we must be brief…

**SITTER** : Also why G won’t let Tommy in here.

**GORDON** : That’s bullshit! THAT’S BULLSHIT! 

**SITTER** : They probably don’t even remember I existed, man, it’s chill.

**GORDON** : Then why do I?

**G-MAN** : I… nudged that, for you.

**G-MAN** : I felt a bit guilty.

**G-MAN** : That-and it made this conversation a bit… easier, to ini-tiate.

**SITTER** : Stuff’s a lil scooty here.

**GORDON** : Huh?

**SITTER** : Y’know, it’s just a lil scooty.

**SITTER** : You don’t fuck with it.

_[She places a hand on Gordon’s shoulder.]_

**SITTER:** G wanted to say he knows parenting is hard, but like…

**SITTER** : You gotta ask for help sometimes, man.

**G-MAN** : I know who could… incite Mr. Freeman to ask, for help.

_[In a flash, G-Man is gone.]_

**GORDON** : The fuck is he-

**SITTER** : Give it a minute.

_[There is nothing. Several moments pass.]_

_[Then G-Man reappears, suit shredded, cut up to hell and trembling. His form is wispy, fading in and out and dripping a luminous blue fluid as he sways. He nearly collapses, but the babysitter runs and holds him up.]_

**SITTER** : Hook, line, aaaaand sinker.

**GORDON** : What the fuck-were you in a BLENDER?

**G-MAN** : I was going to… borrow, your son for a moment.

**G-MAN** : I’m afraid your… helmeted friend… didn’t like that.

**GORDON** : Wait, wait, wait. No, no.

**GORDON** : You’re saying _BENREY_ fucked you up this bad???

**G-MAN** : He felt… very strongly about my presence.

**G-MAN** : He has quite the paternal instinct.

_[Gordon opens his mouth to speak, but says nothing.]_

_[Internally, he struggled to dismiss the thought of how attractive of a trait that was.]_

**G-MAN** : I see that face, Freeman.

**SITTER** : Yeah. You’re really easy to read, dude. You’re comic sans. Dyslexia friendly and everything.

**G-MAN** : Why have you, hesitated? 

**GORDON** : With Benrey?

**GORDON** : Cuz it’s-there’s no reason for me to.

**G-MAN** : I think there is plenty of rea-son there. Isn’t he the flirty one?

**GORDON** : He doesn’t-

**GORDON** : He really doesn’t like me, man. 

**GORDON** : It’s…

**GORDON** : It’s just a thing, I guess.

**G-MAN** : ...So you truly believe Benrey doesn’t… feel fond of you?

**GORDON** : He just-He fucking loves screwing with me. It’s all he ever does.

**GORDON** : It’s probably just… funny to him. You get me? He doesn’t actually-it’s not flirting. 

_[The babysitter groans dramatically.]_

**SITTER** : Gordon, are you fucking kidding us?

**G-MAN** : I’m afraid I’ll have to agree with her… Freeman.

**G-MAN** : Our kind, our species… has a unique way of courting, as it is.

**GORDON** : “Our”?

**G-MAN** : You didn’t believe Benrey was… human?

**GORDON** : No-fuck man, I knew he wasn’t, but-

**G-MAN** : I thought you were… a little smarter.

_[Gordon grips at his hair in exasperation.]_

**GORDON** : Look, even if-I can’t just-There’s no point in making a move! When the hell has being honest-

**GORDON** : When has TRUSTING people ever worked out for me, huh? 

**GORDON** : Do you SEE THIS SHIT?

_[He hastily pulls down his lab coat’s sleeve, revealing an uneven, significant scar trailing around the diameter of his arm. He taps it with his finger aggressively.]_

**GORDON** : _THIS SHIT?_

**GORDON** : That’s what fucking happens-That’s what happens the second I let my guard down!

**G-MAN** : ...And yet.

**GORDON** : Finish your sentences-You have literally no excuse right now.

**G-MAN** : You still display… trust in your friends.

_[Gordon chokes a bit, rolling his sleeve back into place.]_

**GORDON** : I don't have a choice!

**GORDON** : Doesn’t make it less terrifying.

**G-MAN** : Why is that?

**GORDON** : You ever talk to anyone in Black Mesa, man?

**GORDON** : They all say the same thing-Every day! All day! They-Even BARNEY! My one friend there, he just says the same things every day, over and over!

**GORDON** : They don’t know shit! They haven’t seen outside Black Mesa! They probably don’t even have a script-or anything for most events!

**GORDON** : Something goes right, they say this. Something goes wrong, they say that. That’s all it is!

_[The sitter approaches Gordon, laying her hand on his chest. Blue mist pours from her mouth, accompanied by a soft and pleasant melody. Gordon tries to object, react, but as soon as he inhales the color, his panic fades.]_

_[He feels dazed for a moment, but as soon as he snaps back, he’s calm.]_

**GORDON** : …

**G-MAN** : You could stand to… take a risk, when you wake.

**SITTER** : Yeah, like if you think he’s bullshitting you, prove it.

**G-MAN** : Small steps. Take him to.. a rest-aurant.

**GORDON** : Benrey would be way too fucking-well, too MUCH for that.

**G-MAN** : It doesn’t have to be… an, upscale, establishment.

**GORDON** : Like-fuck, I can take him to the Auntie Anne’s in the mall I guess?

**G-MAN** : ...I said a restaurant, Mr. Freeman.

**GORDON** : What-No, not again, for fucks sake-It can be a restaurant! It serves food!

**SITTER** : Pretzels!

**GORDON** : Pretzels are food!

**SITTER** : Gordon, what kind of fucking Auntie Anne’s have you been seeing? You don’t sit down for a _meal_ in a motherfucking _Auntie Anne’s!_

**GORDON** : WHAT ELSE IS IT?

**G-MAN** : It is… a food stall. A vendor.

**SITTER** : YEAH!

**GORDON** : YEAH, that’s a restaurant! That’s what it is! That’s what the word-that’s what it MEANS!

**G-MAN** : No-No? No. 

**SITTER** : No.

**GORDON** : RESTAURANTS SERVE FOOD!

**SITTER** : BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN-

**G-MAN** : All restaurants… serve food. That doesn’t-That really doesn’t mean every, place that… serves… food, is a restaurant.

**GORDON** : You go to the counter, you get a pretzel and a cold drink-and you eat it! By DEFINITION-

**SITTER** : WORDS HAVE CONNOTATIONS, DUDE! Stop being so fucking-What do they teach you at MIT? You take a minor in dumbass semantics?

**GORDON** : It’s a GODDAMN-GOD, you haven’t changed. You’re a weird void girl now and yet you’re still-

**SITTER** : -your FRIEND, yes.

_[Gordon groans, grabbing his face. The babysitter approaches, and raises a hand.]_

**SITTER** : Ok, we're done. No more pretzels. I’m gonna take you back now. 

_[There’s a flash of rainbow light. The last thing he hears is buzzing, and an amused exhale from G-Man.]_

_[Gordon is standing in an empty office, buzz of fluorescent lights above him. It’s clear he is once again, incorporeal.]_

_[In a rotating chair, a man he doesn’t quite recognize sits with his head down.]_

_[He feels something brush beside him. Looking over, the nameless babysitter stands behind him. Her hair flows in an absent wind.]_

**GORDON** : ..Is this-Uh. Did you take me to the right place?

**SITTER** : In a moment.

**SITTER** : I want to show you a thing.

**GORDON** : The hell does-

_[The door to the office creaks open slowly. The man in the chair’s head shoots up, and he rises, only to freeze up.]_

_[Gordon finally has a good look at his face from where he stands. Greying brown hair, the beginnings of sleep deprived eye bags, massive thick framed glasses, and a face that felt so familiar, why was it so-]_

**GORDON** : …Dude, is that Coomer?

**GORDON** : Is this the-You took me BACK in time?

**GORDON** : Christ, he looks so weird when he’s young.

**SITTER** : You’re going to see such pretty things.

**GORDON** : Like what?

_[The door opens totally, and another man sneaks in.]_

_[Wearing similar dorky glasses with a more auburn shade to his hair, longer and in a small ponytail, he is taller and lankier by quite a bit. Again, his face seems too familiar. It isn’t until a nervous grimace betrays his face that Gordon notices his sharper teeth.]_

**GORDON** : Ok, and that’s Bubby. Ok, I see.

**GORDON** : What fucking year is this? They’re not a day over-fucking-I dunno, 40?

**SITTER** : You said you wished you had what they have now, right?

**GORDON** : You heard that?

**GORDON** : So you’re like, fuck, G-Woman now? Or whatever? How did you get the ability to-to this? How do you this?

**SITTER** : It’s a long process.

**SITTER** : It’s also very gross to explain.

_[Bubby and Coomer stand in silence for a moment, gawking at each other. Finally, Bubby slowly steps forward, inhaling to begin speaking.]_

**BUBBY** : Harold, listen-

_[Coomer suddenly lunges forward, taking Bubby into his arms. Bubby reciprocates, as much as he can through Coomer’s death grip on the scientist.]_

**COOMER** : Never do that again.

**BUBBY** : Okay, Jesus, I won’t.

**COOMER** : I’m being serious, we all thought you were-

**BUBBY** : Look! Look. Look at me.

_[Coomer finally releases a little, keeping his arms around Bubby as he makes eye contact.]_

**BUBBY** : I’m right here. I’m your _friend_ , I won’t go anywhere.

_[Gordon makes a small ‘huh?’ noise, looking at the babysitter again.]_

**SITTER** : They haven’t figured it out yet.

**GORDON** : What YEAR is this? Why are we here?

_[Bubby takes one of Coomer’s hands, swaying it in his, singing softly.]_

**BUBBY** : Your heart hard as stone~or mahogany~

_[Coomer lights up, starting to laugh as Bubby guides him into an uncommitted, half dance together.]_

**BUBBY** : That’s why I’m in such exqui~site ag~ony!

**COOMER** : You said you hated that song!

**BUBBY** : That’s your influence, you changed my mind!

_[He keeps singing, and the two doctors become entangled in a musicless dance together.]_

_[It’s vague. You wouldn’t ever be able to name the dance they’re doing. It’s uniquely theirs, singing off key together in an empty office building in Black Mesa.]_

_[The whole spectacle is strange, looking in on something that means nothing to Gordon, but everything to these past versions of his friends.]_

_[It’s imperfect.]_

_[It’s personal.]_

_[It’s love.]_

**GORDON** : ...Did I miss the part where you tell me why the fuck we’re here?

**SITTER** : Thought you were a doctor. Those are supposed to be, uh, smart.

**GORDON** : You’d be surprised.

**SITTER** : Cuz you know what you’re watching?

**SITTER** : Calm after the storm. 

**SITTER** : You think these two came easy?

**GORDON** : I mean, no-

**SITTER** : Liar.

**SITTER** : Lil liar boy.

**GORDON** : I am not a little liar boy.

**SITTER** : Oh you SO are-

**SITTER** : I watched you and Coomer, had a lil heart to heart huh? You didn’t even tell him-

**GORDON** : I have nothing to-

**SITTER** : Didn’t even tell him you didn’t believe him.

_[Coomer and Bubby freeze mid-dance, and the singing slowly fades into nothing.]_

_[Then, the office fades away, leaving only the pair locked in their own world together. Finally, they fade too. All that is left is Gordon and his babysitter, his friend.]_

**SITTER** : Didn’t tell him you still didn’t think you could be loved.

**GORDON** : Listen-

**SITTER** : Here.

_[She holds up a hand and begins counting on her fingers.]_

**SITTER** : Coomer, Bubby, Tommy-

**GORDON** : You can’t just-

**SITTER** : Benrey, Joshua-

**GORDON** : You CAN’T-

**SITTER** : -And me.

**GORDON** : …

**SITTER** : Woah! Would you look at that?

_[The sitter waves her hand, plus one finger on her other.]_

**SITTER** : Basic math!

**SITTER** : You’re outnumbered.

**SITTER** : You’ve always been outnumbered. Six to one, baby.

**SITTER** : Looks like we win. You’re loved.

_[She steps forward, a soft light still glowing from her eyes. Her hair still flows as if in the wind, and she hastily throws her arms around Gordon, leaning on him with all her weight.]_

**SITTER** : You gotta count. Go back to preschool, just start counting. Count everyone who loves you.

**SITTER** : You get to two, you’re automatically outnumbered.

**SITTER** : And that means your little baby bitch brain is wrong. Go give your brain the cold hard statistics.

_[She pulls back, finally making eye contact, though only with the color pouring from her eyes, not pupils. Tilting her head, she smiles up at Gordon.]_

**SITTER** : ...You should start believing Coomer, by the way.

**SITTER** : They’re there right now, watching.

**SITTER** : They love you.

**SITTER** : And even if nothing’s real…

_[The sitter takes a few steps back, beginning to shrug.]_

**SITTER** : Lots of things aren’t.

**SITTER** : Who cares?

_[Gordon’s vision throbs in and out. A strange pressure, a pain begins to envelop him.]_

**SITTER** : I sure don’t.

**SITTER** : You should probably get back to being not-dead, by the way.

_[The pain becomes near unbearable, and Gordon crumbles to his knees as weakness comes over him. He reaches a trembling hand towards his friend, but can’t reach her.]_

**SITTER** : It’s gonna hurt a bit. Hope that’s cool.

**SITTER** : See ya on the flip side, Gordie.

_[His vision goes white.]_

_[Slowly returning, he can barely make out the forms of people, crouched around him, speaking.]_

_[Someone begins to lift him, failing to pick him up. Another pair of arms does lift him, and he finally sees the destroyed laboratory around them.]_

_[He’s on the ground. Everything hurts. Everything feels like it’s being weighed down. He slowly registers the faces of Bubby and Tommy, and recognizes the strength of Coomer holding him to sit upright.]_

_[Gordon weakly wraps his arms around Bubby, letting his head fall and bury in the scientist’s shoulder.]_

**GORDON** : I-

**GORDON** : I can’t.

**GORDON** : I need help.

**GORDON** : Where’s-oh god, Joshua’s-

**COOMER** : With Benrey. 

_[Gordon coughs violently, choking.]_

**BUBBY** : He needs to get to the medical ward. As in, right now.

**GORDON** : I need him to-You gotta call him-

**GORDON** : The key to the cabinet it’s-it’s under the sink-just, just, tell him to get rid of everything inside it-

**GORDON** : I don’t care what he does-He has to-Just-

**GORDON** : Destroy it or sell it or throw it all out I don’t, I don’t even care-

**TOMMY** : Mr. Freeman, you can’t-uh, you gotta save your energy!

_[Bubby looks up to Coomer, who nods back and brings Gordon into a bridal carry position to carry him out of the destruction.]_

_[Around them, workers run around, trying to salvage and rescue any scientists who were caught in the explosion. Gordon feels himself get weaker as he notices that his coworkers aren’t all responsive as they’re hauled away.]_

**GORDON** : Bubby-

**GORDON** : You were right.

**COOMER** : Right about what, Gordon?

**BUBBY** : …I think-

**BUBBY** : I called him a shitty dad.

_[Coomer sighs and shakes his head.]_

**GORDON** : It’s-

**GORDON** : It…

_[Gordon’s eyes flutter shut.]_

**GORDON** : Maybe I am outnumbered-...

_[The truth was that he always was. Then, now, and forever.]_

_[If you count, you’ll find something funny. There’s not much to be done with looking through a tinted window. But you can squint through it.]_

_[Once you start, you’ll remember more and more and keep counting.]_

_[Gordon is outnumbered.]_

_[As are you.]_

_[As am I.]_

* * *

  
_[Gordon jolts awake.]_

**GORDON** : IT’S A REST-

_[Bubby reaches and settles Gordon back into his bed.]_

_[Gordon looks around vaguely panicked, relaxing as he realizes he’s in his bedroom.]_

_[He’s sore. He’s tired. But he is not alone. Bubby is leaned over the bed, trying to keep Gordon easy. Coomer is holding a long-asleep Joshua in an armchair in the corner. Benrey is trying to subtly lean and peek through the doorway, but stands out horribly. Tommy is using a dresser to fill out what appears to be an obligatory accident report.]_

**BUBBY** : Are you trying to respark that debate? 

**BUBBY** : The first thing you do when you wake up?

**BUBBY** : Is this really your highest priority, Gordon?

**GORDON** : Bubby.

**BUBBY** : Yes?

**GORDON** : Auntie Anne’s. It sells pretzels.

**BUBBY** : I’d be worried if it didn’t.

**GORDON** : So it’s a restaurant. 

_[Bubby’s face contorts with bewilderment.]_

**BUBBY** : So-No, no. It’s not.

**COOMER** : If you buy food from it, it can be a restaurant!

**GORDON** : THANK YOU.

**TOMMY** : But-But- You don’t sit down to eat there, Mr Freeman!

**BUBBY** : It’s a MALL STORE. It doesn’t serve you- It only serves one thing! Is a theater snack bar a restaurant? Is a fucking HOT DOG STAND?

**GORDON** : YES! If it serves food-

**COOMER** : Maybe we should focus on the part where Gordon almost died?

**GORDON** : Oh, I’ll die. Right here. I’ll die. I’ll take this shit to my grave, swear to god-

_[The argument, playful but intense, continues as Tommy occasionally interjects to ask Gordon a question for the paperwork.]_

_[Slowly, the picture is pieced together in Gordon’s mind.]_

_[Something happened, and it wasn’t supposed to. It wasn’t part of the game, and it wasn’t G-Man.]_

_[Eventually, Coomer and Bubby take Joshua to bed, and Tommy steps out to organize the papers, making Benrey stay back in case Gordon needed anything.]_

**BENREY** : hey

**GORDON** : Uh, hey.

_[Benrey’s gaze is serious, and it makes Gordon a little anxious.]_

**BENREY** : gordon.

**GORDON** : Wh-...Uh. Heh.

_[Gordon laughs nervously, but softly, as to not strain himself.]_

**GORDON** : Haven’t called me by my first name in a while, huh?

**BENREY** : that cabinet

**BENREY** : i emptied it

**BENREY** : you had a box and a note in there

**GORDON** : I swear to god if the next words out of your mouth are-

**BENREY** : i opened ‘em

**GORDON** : I SPECIFICALLY ASKED-

_[Gordon tries to shoot up to yell, but is cut off by a sharp gasp of pain. Benrey leaps and guides Gordon back down onto the bed, resting his head on the pillow.]_

**BENREY** : yeah uh, bro

**BENREY** : we need-ugh

**GORDON** : Huh?

**BENREY** : give me a second i can do it

**BENREY** : we n- _URK_

**BENREY** : we NEED to-

**BENREY** : …

**BENREY** : we need to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow look at you with EYES reading my WORDS i made in my WET LITTLE BRAIN  
> hlvrai blog: thebenrey.tumblr.com  
> my WEBCOMIC where i DO STUFF: https://strangeschoolevenstranger.tumblr.com/tagged/update/chrono/


	6. Romance Comes In A Little Glass Vial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DARNOLD INTERMISSION!

**INTERMISSION**

_ [But somewhere else, someone has to get back to work.] _

_ [Darnold, back in Black Mesa, stands in his laboratory, dutifully studying the details of his latest potion. The paper containing the criteria and recipe are stained, a rainbow dedicated to several failed brews.] _

_ [This time around, it was not his superiors who ordered Darnold’s latest creation. In fact… It was anonymous.] _

_ [Someone was commissioning a potion, communicating with Darnold entirely through notes slipped into his Black Mesa issued locker. It was strange at first. He thought it a prank for a while, until one note was paperclipped with payment for the project.] _

_ [The latest note had instructed him to stay late, and leave the finished product beneath a bench in the locker room once everyone had left. Well, everyone, except the commissioner, who would collect it once Darnold returned to his lab.] _

_ [A simple concept; a love potion.] _

_ [Not one to make you fall in love with a person, no, one to make you fall in love with life. Something that would cancel out even the worst depression, and turn a shut-in into someone capable of still being mystified by things like the universe, and nature, and transparent fish.] _

_ [Such a potion would need to be powerful enough to bring back a child’s view of the world. A world filled with wonder, and new things, so many new things.] _

_ [And so, set on by this anonymous source, Darnold was hard at work.] _

_ [Maybe ‘anonymous’ wasn’t the best word.] _

_ [Darnold was very good at identifying handwriting.] _

_ [But Darnold was proud of how far along the concoction was, after only a few weeks. Only a single ingredient left to mix in.] _

_ [Two tiny cups of gas station hazelnut creamer, for taste. As if what was basically a chemical-soda slurry could ever possibly taste good; luckily Darnold’s taste buds eroded long, long ago.] _

_ [One problem remained. Did the potion  _ **_work_ ** _?] _

_ [There was only one way to find out.] _

_ [Darnold drank the potion.] _

_ [There were actually multiple ways to find out that didn’t involve downing half the flask.] _

_ [He tested all his potions this way, and hey, he was still kicking. It was fine.] _

_ [It was probably fine.] _

_ [For the next bit, Darnold waits and plays on his totally-for-work computer. TF2 awaited him.] _

_ [A good half hour later, the tingling begins.] _

_ [Warmth swells from Darnold’s chest as the concoction takes him into its grip. All seems well so far, Darnold figures. He feels happy! That’s what he wanted!] _

_ [Mission success, he figures. He shuts his game down. Mid match.] _

_ [All seems to be okey-dokey at the moment. Darnold smiles, thoughts of only nice things.] _

_ [All he could think of was good things; love, hand holding-uh.  _

_ [Kissing… More love.] _

_ [Tender gazes.] _

_ [Wait.] _

_ [Aw shit.] _

_ [No, this  _ **_wasn’t_ ** _ what Darnold wanted.] _

_ [Darnold would get a sense of having fucked up, but his train of thought was too busy kissing itself to redirect.] _

_ [He was supposed to go home soon. He can’t go out like this!] _

_ [If this is a love-love potion, he’s going to get cartoonishly smitten with-whoever the hell!] _

_ [The loudspeaker clicks on as Darnold trashes his creation.] _

**LOUDSPEAKER** : DARNOLD. YOU. ARE. WANTED. FOR. GOING. HOME _. _

**DARNOLD** : Hey, c’mon! I can’t!

**LOUDSPEAKER** : NO.

_ [The loudspeaker, oddly enough, was a fairly good friend of Darnolds’.] _

_ [The Black Mesa Announcement Program, casually known as BMAP, and pronounced Beemap. It was a sentient loudspeaker filled with predetermined announcements to spread to the facility.] _

_ [Somewhere along the line, it gained a taste for fucking with everyone.] _

**BEEMAP** : YOU. ARE. WANTED. FOR. GO.

**DARNOLD** : My potions-It’s not doing what it’s supposed to!

**DARNOLD** : If I go out, what if-It’s a love potion! As in,  _ love _ -love!

**BEEMAP** : THAT’S. FUCKED.

_ [Darnold paces, nervously tapping his fingers together.] _

**DARNOLD** : What should I do?

**BEEMAP** : LET. IT. WEAR. OFF.

**DARNOLD** : Sh, sh, let me think.

**DARNOLD** : ...Ah!

**DARNOLD** : I could just wait and let it wear off!

**BEEMAP** :

**BEEMAP** :

**BEEMAP** : OKAY.

_ [He waves to the speaker built into the wall.] _

**DARNOLD** : Don’t switch gears, okay? I don’t want-Can’t be in here alone.

**BEEMAP** : OH. FUCK.

**BEEMAP** : SLEEPOVER.

**DARNOLD** : Sleepover!

[ _ To be safe, they agree on a 24 hour lock-in for Darnold to recover.] _

_ [It’s a strange 24 hours.] _

  
  
  
  


**HOUR 1:**

**DARNOLD** : You don’t know ‘Weird Science’?

**BEEMAP** : NO.

**DARNOLD** : Not even a little of it? Why not?

**BEEMAP** : I.

**BEEMAP** : I. JUST. DON’T.

_ [Darnold claps his hands together.] _

**DARNOLD** : Is your thingy working? Cuz if it’s-if it’s working, I’m playing it on there and you’re gonna listen.

_ [He gets up, walking over to a keyboard and microphone expressly engraved ‘Black Mesa Announcement Program’.] _

**BEEMAP** : DO. NOT. PLAY. IT. IN. MY. THINGY.

_ [Darnold types on his own computer, bringing the Announcement mic to the computer speakers.] _

**DARNOLD** : I’m pulling up  _ ‘Club Penguin Weird Science AMV’ _ **_*_ ** as we speak.

**_*_ ** _ Author’s note: This doesn’t exist. I’m so sorry. _

  
  


**HOUR 7:**

**DARNOLD** : I need to wait it out, ok? I can’t-I don’t even know what you’re supposed to do when you love someone.

**BEEMAP** : YOU. TELL. THEM.

**BEEMAP** : “COME. HERE. OFTEN.”

_ [Darnold looks to the ceiling incredulously.] _

**DARNOLD** : ...Yeah. This is my lab.

**BEEMAP** : NO-

**DARNOLD** : I work in here.

**BEEMAP** : NO.

**HOUR 9:**

**BEEMAP** : DARNOLD.

**DARNOLD** : Yeah?

**BEEMAP** : ARE. YOU. A. BAD. ENOUGH. DUDE. TO. HIT. YOUR. OWN. DICK. WITH. A. HAMMER.

**DARNOLD** : I-Well, no? But I could be! Maybe if I tried and I-uh, really believed in myself.

**HOUR 15** :

**BEEMAP** : CHECK. PHONE.

**DARNOLD** : Hmmm… Alright.

_ [FORYOU.jpeg] _

**DARNOLD** : Hoo-ly shit.

**BEEMAP** : NEEDS. A. NAME.

**DARNOLD** : How abooout-uh… Pepsi?

**BEEMAP** : ITS. NAME. IS. MILK DOGG.

**DARNOLD** : I like Pepsi better.

**HOUR 19:**

**DARNOLD** : Oh my god.

_ [After rummaging through a cabinet, Darnold brandishes a small, blue and white robot dog.] _

**DARNOLD** : I fucking found Slushie.

**DARNOLD** : My Wappydog-Her name’s Slushie. Look, she does stuff-

_ [Beemap is not actually watching Darnold. It is in sleep mode.] _

**HOUR 24:**

_ [Having fallen asleep at his chair, Darnold is peaceful for a minute before a massive air horn noise rips from the loudspeaker.] _

**BEEMAP** : 24. HOURS. MISSION. COMPLETE.

_ [Darnold scrambles to retain his balance from surprise.] _

**DARNOLD** : Aw, okay. I should get going before-yeah.

**DARNOLD** : ..Hey?

**BEEMAP** : YES.

**DARNOLD** : Thanks for-uh, for stayin’ with me. 

**BEEMAP** : DARNOLD. FRIEND.

**DARNOLD** : Haha!

_ [Smiling wide, Darnold packs up.] _

**DARNOLD** : Later, Beemap.

**DARNOLD** : There’s someone I gotta-gotta go check on.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY ILL TRY TO GET THE ACTUAL NEXT CHALTER DONE  
> -jane
> 
> thebenrey.tumblr.com  
> strangeschoolevenstranger.tumblr.com


	7. A New Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Babysitter has a special message for you.

Hello?

...Oh, give me a break, here. New to this G-Stuff.

You, beautiful people from the world that loves Gordon, are about to experience a shift in perspective.

So come with me, for a moment, would you?

[ **_Your story will continue elsewhere._ ** ](https://hlvillage.tumblr.com/)


End file.
